The Jewel in the Crown
by RogueJyn24
Summary: When Rey, a fiery princess of the tiny kingdom of Jakku is forced into a marriage of convenience for the sake of her kingdom, she meets her match in the sworn enemy of her faith and her people, the fearsome Emperor Kylo Ren of the First Order. (Historical AU). Inspired by 'Jodha Akbar'. Slow burn. Rated M for the future.
1. Chapter 1

**Jakku**

In the desert province of Jakku, a hopeful royal sat gazing at the night sky. It was during this time of the day that Princess Rey liked to lean over the window sill of her royal chambers, with the cool breeze playing in her long chestnut hair and dream of adventure. Whenever Rey told her mother, the Queen, of her desire to see faraway lands she would scoff, saying "Why would you want to leave Jakku? Our lands have been blessed by the Gods themselves!"

In a way, her mother was right. Jakku was the only province in the country where the sun, moon and stars appeared close enough to touch. Her father, the King, had once said it was because they were closer to the Goddess of the sky and she watched over them and protected them. Rey didn't see it the same way. To her, Jakku seemed a godforsaken place, desolate and infertile with sandy dunes stretching as far as the eye could see. While her parents and the rest of the Kingdom revered the Goddess of the sky, she revered the Goddess of the earth. As a child she had prayed to the Goddess of the earth to bless Jakku with lush greenery. She prayed for trees and exotic flowers, for snow and flowing rivers and fields and fields of herbs. But even as her prayers remained unanswered, she couldn't help but feel that her Goddess was calling to her, calling her away from Jakku.

But she was just a girl, a Princess who couldn't leave the fortress and safety of the palace. Her older brothers, who traveled to faraway lands, told extraordinary tales about their cultures and the food and the dancing and the beautiful women in extravagant clothing. But they also told tales of war and bloodshed.

Rey shivered as a strong breeze blew past her and into her rooms ruffling the silk curtains around her window. A new threat was rising from the North; she overheard her eldest brother Samm talking to their father the evening after he had returned from another journey.

The empire of the First Order

 _The First Order,_ Rey thought to herself. She had heard stories about them, and their beastly, bloodthirsty emperor Kylo Ren, who left destruction and grief wherever he conquered. These impostors also brought with them their own faith, a religion that believed only in a single deity. _A bloodthirsty God no doubt,_ Rey thought _,_ gritting her teeth _, a God that condones murder and blesses those who take what does not belong to them._

The Provinces of Yavin and Hoth had already fallen to the First Order.

"That means they're moving South!" Her father had exclaimed.

"It's only a matter of time before they set their sights on Jakku" Samm said in response to their fathers alarm "we have to move fast, align ourselves with the neighboring provinces and set up defenses"

"But we have nothing to offer them here…"

"Kylo Ren conquers for sport" Samm responded "he doesn't care what we have or don't have. He wants the whole country to fall under his command"

Thinking of that conversation dampened Rey's spirits. She moved away from the window and towards her bed, where she sat down and began to braid her hair, thinking of the Kingdoms that had fallen.

"Rey?"

It was Jess, Rey's companion and childhood friend. Rey turned around and smiled as Jess walked across the room to lean against one of the bedposts.

"Your mother wants to know if you'll be visiting the shrine tomorrow"

"Of course I will, I always go on my birthday" Rey said

"Well, your mother is bringing in a soothsayer" Jess smiled as she went on "you know, now that you're turning nineteen, I think your mother thinks it's time to find you a suitable Prince or a King"

Rey was expecting this. Many of the young women of her kingdom who were similar in age were already married. Being the only daughter in a family of six children, where the five oldest were all boys meant that Rey was petted and spoiled from babyhood. But now it was time for her parents to let go, and let Rey fulfil her duty as a Princess. Rey and her potential marriage would be instrumental in forging new alliances. All the same, the news that her mother was bringing in a soothsayer angered her.

"So, she wants to predict my fate? You can go and tell my mother that with the blessing of the Goddess of the earth, I'm going to make my own destiny!"

Jess was amused by this. She sat down on the bed next to Rey,

"Rey, you never know what the Gods have planned for you"

"I've already seen what the Gods want for me" Rey replied "I'm going to do great things with my life"

* * *

 **Naboo**

The Empire of Naboo, which was about three week's journey from Jakku was unlike it in so many ways. Naboo was lush and green with trees, exotic flowers, flowing rivers, deep lakes and fields and fields of herbs. It was also home to the great Kylo Ren, the feared Emperor of the First Order.

At the moment, the Emperor was nowhere to be found. He was not in his private chambers or his council chambers. He had been seen leaving the harem in the early hours of the morning, but no one had seen him since then.

 _Where is that boy?_ General Snoke thought to himself as he combed the lavish grounds of the great palace in search of his protégé. Although he was technically no longer a 'boy', Snoke could not help but think that the young Emperor was still as naïve and immature as he was when his mother, Leia Organa, left him under his care as a five year old boy, and it worried him. Snoke had trained Kylo to be a hard and cold hearted emperor with no personal attachments and to crave power. It was the only way Snoke would maintain his control over the young man.

In his childhood years the Emperor was Prince Ben Solo, the only son of the benevolent Emperor Han Solo and his Empress Leia Organa. Back then, their empire had been small, small and pitiful in Snoke's eyes. The former emperor had raised a small army and gone to the borders to control an uprising by the idol worshipers, and unable to let her husband leave alone, Liea Organa had accompanied him, leaving their young son in Snoke's care. After years of war, the royal couple were eventually captured and imprisoned. The Emperor, worn down by years of war, died in a prison cell. The leader of the uprising, a man who called himself Sidious, was threatening to invade Naboo and claim it for his own. Ben Solo, who was then but fifteen years old and under the tutelage of Snoke, challenged him to a duel, where the young boy successfully brought Sidious to his knees and with one long powerful stroke of his sword, sliced Sidious's head clean off his body. That was the day Kylo Ren was born. That was the day Snoke knew that this boy was no weak fool like his father, and that they would both go on to conquer lands and broaden the horizons of their empire together. Snoke wanted power, and he would get it.

Just as Snoke was about to give up on his search, a servant came running up the garden path.

"Sir…General..sir, come quick! The Emperor!"

Without a word, Snoke followed the servant down the path, out of the back gate and through the bushes that lined the outskirts of the Endor forest. They walked for about five minutes until they reached a large clearing. The clearing had been turned into a fort of makeshift arena and what Snoke saw made his heart skip a beat.

At the centre of the ring was the biggest bull elephant Snoke had ever seen, and right across from it, crouching on the ground like a cat ready to pounce, was Kylo Ren.

Snoke was frozen in shock and horror. The elephant was swinging its head from side to side and trumpeting furiously, clearly frightened and disoriented. Kylo Ren was eyeing the beast from his position on the ground. He wore only a loose fitting pair of pants, splattered with mud, and sweat was glistening on his broad muscular shoulders. Strands of his long dark hair stuck to his face and his brown eyes glistened with boyish delight.

Kylo Ren pounced. In a few fluid moves, he had climbed up the creature's trunk and had settled himself on its back. The elephant reared, with the Emperor holding on for dear life. Snoke just stared.

Kylo Ren leaned forward massaging the creatures head with both hands, and seemed to be whispering something to it. Snoke's mouth was now half open as he watched the agitated elephant finally calm down. When the elephant began to flap its ears contentedly, Kylo Ren began to laugh.

"He was a tough one!" He cried out to the mahout standing outside the arena, who waved in response.

Snoke was still staring speechless at the animal, when Kylo Ren, finally noticing his presence, cried out in a booming voice:

"Ah, General, come and see my newest conquest!"

Snoke immediately regained his composure.

"so, is this what you've been doing the whole day while there were matters of state to attend to?" he asked

"If you're talking about the tax disputes, I've already consulted with Hux and given him a solution to the matter" Kylo replied, sliding down from the elephants back and walking towards Snoke "He assured me that he would pass the matter through you for your consideration"

"I haven't received anything from Hux regarding a tax dispute" Snoke was growing angrier and angrier "And here you are risking your life seeking thrills! Might I remind you your majesty, that you position on the First Order throne is still precarious, what if something had happened to you? You don't even have an heir…"

Kylo Ren's eyes darkened, he tensed and said in a low voice

"Careful General, what you are suggesting is treason"

"Your Majesty…that's not what I meant" Snoke said "You are still young, and there is plenty of time…"

Kylo Ren turned away. True, he had plenty of time; he also had plenty of women, a harem full of women and wives whom he visited every night, yet none of them had ever borne him a living child. Not even his first wife, Phasma, who was also his favourite wife. Kylo Ren didn't love any of his women. He was immune to love. He favoured and respected Phasma because of her intelligence and he would often seek her advice. Unlike his other women, Phasma was his equal.

Snoke watched him for a while, and wanting to change the subject, went on:

"Hoth and Yavin have fallen under our control and I've sent spies to the neighbouring Kingdoms. You've probably heard of Jakku, it's a barren land and of no use to us but the shrines of their gods are filled with offerings of gold and jewels. I've already sent some soldiers there. This is the perfect opportunity to replenish our royal treasury"

"No" Kylo Ren whirled around "I will not have my soldiers desecrating shrines"

"If you want to be a powerful emperor" Snoke continued "you should be able to take whatever you want whenever you want from them without hesitation, and why do you care so much about the shrines of those idol worshipers? Have you forgotten what I taught you?"

"No General. I have also not forgotten that I owe you my life" Kylo Ren answered, placing his hand on Snoke's shoulder "But I also have a duty to God, and vowed that I would unite this country under one peaceful rule. God has promised me that power"


	2. Chapter 2

**Jakku**

King Prana and Queen Adah watched their daughter's retinue as it made its way through the gates of the Nima fortress. Standing on top of the high wall, the queen's thoughts wondered to Rey's birthday celebrations that same morning, where she had taken her daughter to a side and advised her against the half hour journey she was thinking of taking to visit the temple of the holy shrines.

"Mother, I'll be fine!" Rey had protested "I'm only allowed outside the fortress once a year so just let me make the most of it. Do you want to keep me locked in here forever?"

"These are dangerous times and we should be taking precautions. Why would you deliberately want to put yourself in danger?"

In the end, the queen lost the argument, and her daughter had happily climbed into her palanquin and was now being carried through the desert with her ladies. The king had insisted on the group being guarded with armed troops, and that at least gave some comfort to the queen.

"Madam, Maz Kanata is here…"

The queen snapped out of her reverie. She had forgotten all about the soothsayer she had called to the palace some days before.

"Ask her to wait in the courtyard, and tell her I'll meet her there"

The lady who delivered the message bowed and left.

The king who had been listening, turned to his wife

"You didn't tell me you invited Maz Kanata"

"You weren't supposed to know" the queen said, smiling at her husband.

As the queen made her way down the sandstone staircase leading into the courtyard, Maz Kanata, who was sitting on a bench, got her feet. She was an old, tiny, fragile looking woman with tribal markings around her large dark eyes and she wore long robes that trailed on the floor as she walked. She walked towards the queen, leaning on her wooden walking stick and held out a wrinkled hand, which the queen took in her own, and smiled warmly.

"Your Majesty" Maz began "it's been so long since I was last here, but nothing in the palace seems to have changed" She looked around the courtyard as she said this.

The queen smiled at the old woman

"Come; let's go inside, you must be tired having travelled so far, I have some refreshments prepared for you"

"No Your Majesty, you called me here for a reason, so let me fulfil my purpose"

She guided the queen by her hand to the foot of the staircase and sighed heavily as she seated herself on the bottom step. The queen followed her, tucking in her long silk skirt as she sat on the step above her. She knew that Maz Kanata was an eccentric woman, but she was a soothsayer, and they were known to be out of the ordinary. She waited for Maz to speak.

"Well then Your Majesty, whose fortune should I be reading?"

"My daughter, Rey"

"Rey? Ah, yes, I remember the last time I was here she was just a baby, barely able to lift her little head. But I think that time I refused to speak about her future…hmmm yes, it was…..murky"

"But perhaps now you can?…" the queen began hopefully

"We'll see, maybe this time the Gods will be gracious enough to grant me a little peak"

Maz Kanata reached into her robes and pulled out a pouch filled with little sea shells. It rattled as she pulled the strings on either side to open its mouth.

"Now, let's begin, shall we?"

* * *

As Rey's entourage finally arrived at the mouth of a large cave, which served as the entrance to the holy shrines, she peaked through the hangings around her palanquin to get a first glimpse of the temple. She saw that all the priests and priestesses had lined up outside, ready to welcome her and wished they hadn't gone through all that trouble to make such a fuss over her, but they did this every year when she visited, and it was a sign of respect for the royal family of Jakku.

The palanquin was lowered to the ground, and Rey and Jess climbed out into the sweltering heat. The clear skies meant that the sun beat down on the desert making the day incredibly hot, and the wind was blowing sand in their faces. Rey pulled her shawl around her face and walked towards the high priestess.

Rey's Grandmother, the Queen mother had told her stories about how their people had built the shrines of their gods inside the old sandstone caves thousands of years ago. She'd always admired the rock carvings done by the ancients that surrounded the cave; it made her proud of her heritage.

"Welcome, Princess" said the high priestess, bowing to Rey

With their guard posted at the entrance, Rey and her ladies made their way into the cave. The interior was all polished sandstone and light from the outside and from a natural skylight bounced off the walls and made them gleam, but as they went deeper and deeper into the cave it became darker. The passage became narrower, separating into different pathways, but they kept walking without turning, until they reached a large circular chamber. Light flooded in through a natural skylight, illuminating the golden canopy under which stood idols of the goddesses of the sky and the earth. The magnificent sight made Rey's breath catch in her throat. She and her ladies walked forward, bringing with them their offerings of milk, fruit and gold which were the most valuable gifts they could offer to the Goddesses, with fruit being the rarest and most valuable of all.

As the other ladies busied themselves preparing the altar, Rey turned to jess,

"Jess, help me light the candles and the incense"

After they were done, the whole chamber was filled with the sweet, soothing smell of jasmine and the warmth and light of a hundred burning candles. Rey, with her hands clasped together in front of her chest and eyes closed, led the ladies in a series of prayers and songs, passed down to them from their ancients. Above them, the kind, smiling faces of the goddesses watched and Rey slowly felt as if her soul was leaving her body and leaving the temple, leaving Jakku. Perhaps it was the smell of the incense, or the voices of her ladies as they chanted, everything was peaceful, serene, soothing, just as it should be

But that serenity was broken. The ladies stopped their chanting and looked around, as a member of their guard came storming into the chamber

"Princess, we have to leave now!"

"What is it? Why are you disturbing us?" Rey asked, angrily

"Your Highness, you're in danger. A group of First Order troops is heading right this way, to the temple!"

Rey's heart skipped a beat. She rose from the ground where she was sitting as her one of her ladies screamed and burst into tears.

"Be Quiet!" Rey cried "We cannot show weakness in the face of an enemy attack!"

She turned to the guard. "Gather up my ladies and take them through the back passageway, the priests will show you, the troops won't know about that route and wouldn't think to follow you there"

"What about you my lady?"

Rey held out her hand "Give me your sword"

* * *

Queen Adah sat watching silently as Maz Kanata waved her hand several times over the seashells she had scattered all over the courtyard floor. She was growing impatient, but was sure she was going to hear something favourable about Rey, how could she not? Although she had not told her, the King and Queen had been approached by a Prince of the wealthy and prosperous province of Coruscant, who had seen Rey at the spring festival last year and had been struck by her beauty and spirit. They couldn't refuse such an advantageous match, and the Queen had wanted to wait until the night of Rey's birthday to break the news to her.

Maz Kanata suddenly sat up, wiped her eyes and sighed.

"Your Majesty…I'm afraid..I" Maz stuttered

The Queen's jaw clenched

"No, not this time, please tell me _something"_ she begged

At this Maz Kanata's eyes hardened, she sighed heavily

"Very well" she began "Your Majesty, I see something in your daughters future, something great, but dangerous. It is inevitable, and nothing you do can change her destiny"

The Queen just stared, but Maz Kanata went on

"She will not find the belonging she seeks among her own kind or among people who share her faith"

"What do you mean?"The Queen asked, taken aback

"The one whom she will share her life with is a great conqueror, a powerful ruler, born in the North and who will one day descend on these lands and claim them for his own"

Queen Adah felt as if the ground underneath her was crumbling away and the breath knocked out from her lungs. Although Maz Kanata had not uttered the name of the man of whom she spoke, the Queen knew exactly who she meant. Her hands shook as she raised herself from where she sat

"No, that's not possible!" She croaked "how can that be? My daughter is betrothed to a Prince of Coruscant!"

"The Gods work in mysterious ways Your Majesty" Maz said

"No…not the Gods" The Queen turned to Maz " its YOU. You are a liar and a fraud!"

The Queen now raised her voice

"How DARE you come into our palace, and poison us with your LIES!"

"Your Majesty I…"

The Queen somehow managed to compose herself. She swallowed, straightened herself and said in a more calm voice

"I'm afraid I must ask you to leave now"

Maz Kanata didn't say another word. It was not in her nature to talk back to anyone, let alone an angry queen. She gathered up all her shells, and began to walk away, but when she reached the great iron door, she turned back one last time, and drawing herself to her full height said in her loudest voice

"It matters not if you don't believe me Your Majesty, but I stand by what I said. Your daughter's fate is written in the stars and neither you nor anyone else can change that"

Maz took a deep breath and went on

"But there in one more thing. When your daughter returns home today as the sun sets, she will not be in her palanquin, she will be riding to your gates on a horse at the head of her group, with a bloodied sword in one hand and vengeance in her heart and then you will know I have been telling the truth and everything I predicted today will come to pass"

And with that she was gone, leaving the Queen standing, speechless and stunned.

* * *

Rey had to make sure her ladies were safe first. They weren't like her. The closest thing to weapons any of them had ever been in contact with were probably sewing needles. But Rey had the advantage of having grown up with five older brothers and a rebellious nature, so she was well trained with a sword, to the great disapproval of her mother.

She managed to avoid them all panicking by assuring them that they would be led outside through a hidden passageway, and now they were being led through it by a priestess towards the back of the temple, and once the light was in sight signalling the exit, Rey turned to the guard who had accompanied them

"Get them out safely"

"What about you my lady?"

"I'll come back I promise"

"But my lady, your father…"

"Do as I say and go!"

Rey turned back, running towards the large circular chamber where they had been praying not minutes before. She halted when she heard shouting and clanging noises and her grip on the sword tightened. She looked into the room and horror and shock swept over her. There were about ten men in strange uniform, gathering and collecting the gold strewn all over the floor. The golden canopy that had sheltered the goddesses had been torn down, and they lay face down on the tiled floor. This was no longer a place of peace and serenity.

A fight was going on outside, presumably between her guard and the other First Order troops and she could hear the cries of the men from the spot where she was hiding. The men, hearing the same sounds, grabbed what they could and rushed outside to join their comrades. Only one of them hesitated near the fallen statues of the Goddess, but then looking around, he too left.

Slowly and quietly, Rey followed them and her eyes filled with tears as she passed the place where she had lit the candles and incense, all of which had been extinguished and kicked aside by the First Order troops. Her tears were blinding her as she stumbled through the passageways and out into the blinding light of the afternoon. The bodies of men lay on the bloodied sand, some dead, some injured. Her guard had followed the rest of the troops on horseback down the side of a rocky hill and the fight was continuing there. The men who had plundered the temple were now riding towards the fight.

Her heart beating fast, Rey looked around and spotted a single horse tied up, but just as she was about to reach it a voice called

"Well, what do we have here?"

Behind her, two First Order troopers on horseback leered down at her. Rey immediately raised her sword in defence. The men looked at each other in surprise and then laughed.

"You beasts!" Rey cried

And with that she lunged forward. Their swords clashed and now she was fighting two men on horseback all at once. They had the higher ground, but Rey was skilled and her attacks were swift and fierce.

She was putting up a good fight, until a kick to her chin caused her to fall backwards onto the ground and Just as she was about to be struck down, the troopers sword was blocked by another. Rey looked up to see that it was Jess, her eyes wild and fierce.

"Jess what you are doing!?"

"I promised your mother that I would stay by your side Princess, and I intend to" Jess answered

The trooper growled

"We're wasting time here; these women aren't the real danger" and withdrawing his sword he turned his horse and galloped off to the fight in the distance. The other however, smirked at jess

"Well, I don't intend to leave without a souvenir" he said and with one swift blow, he unarmed Jess.

Rey tried to grab on to Jess's legs from her position on the ground, but she wasn't strong enough. The trooper had grabbed a handful of Jess's hair and pulled her up onto the horse. He rode off with her struggling at the front.

"No, Jess!" Rey cried as she struggled to stand, her head still spinning. She grabbed her sword and ran to the horse that was tied to a rock. She cut the rope, mounted the horse and galloped off as fast as she could towards Jess and the trooper. They weren't far ahead, the trooper was having difficulty riding fast enough with Jess struggling and screaming and Rey was able to catch up. Now they were both fighting on horseback.

The trooper pushed Jess off his horse. She hit the ground and was still.

Rey's fury burst forth and she attacked even harder this time, but she was tiring fast and the trooper only seemed to be getting stronger and more confident with each minute. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, another trooper joined the fight, and Rey was sure it was over, sure that she was going to die. But he went for the other man instead, and he was just as surprised as Rey to see that sword lifted against him, to cut across his chest. As the horse reared, he was thrown off onto the ground and didn't move.

"He's dead" said the man who had just saved Rey's life. He was the same man who had hesitated in front of the fallen statues of the goddesses inside the temple and now he stood, looking at Rey, but there was fear in his eyes.

Rey ran back to Jess who was also lying still on the ground, but not dead, just knocked unconscious. In the distance, more men on horses were galloping towards them. Among them was Poe Dameron, the head of her father's guard, who had ridden to the temple with her. Some of them immediately circled the trooper, who was still standing with his sword hanging limp by his side.

"That man saved my life!" Rey exclaimed

"He is still our enemy, and now he is a prisoner" Poe Dameron answered

Rey looked up at the trooper

"What is your name?" she asked

He hesitated before answering

"Finn" he said in a hollow voice "My name's Finn"

* * *

Later, as they were, gathering up the injured and tending to wounds, Rey stood outside the temple, her loose hair covered in sand and dust blowing in the wind, and her torn robes flapped around her. She was still holding the sword and a trail of blood was making its way down its shaft from a cut on her forearm. Pure hatred was bubbling inside her. The First order had stolen from their goddesses and desecrated the holy ground and it was an act so heinous and unforgivable it made her blood boil.

"Kylo Ren" Rey breathed "You have no idea what you've done"

She bent down and grabbed a handful of sand and as she came back up, she let it slip through her hands and blow in the wind.

"I swear by every grain of sand in this desert and by the blood of my ancestors, that I will avenge you Goddess. Kylo Ren will pay with his life and the next time I step foot in this temple, I will bring you his head"

* * *

The Jakku sunset was a beautiful sight, and it was the time of day when the air began to cool and the sky turned almost blood red.

Queen Adah stood on the wall of the Nima Fortress, their city's only form of protection against enemy forces and stared out into the sandy dunes. Her heart was pounding with Maz Kanata's words still echoing inside her head, it was getting late and her daughter still wasn't back. She tried to reassure herself, she was sure Maz was a liar, there was no way her own daughter would have to end up…

"Look!" cried a servant who had accompanied her "I think that might be them!"

The Queen looked on, as If it were a dream and she was dreaming.

Rey rode on a horse ahead of the group, her hair wild about her face, and almost the same color as the sand and in one hand, she held a sword stained with blood.

The Queen felt as if the life was being drained out of her and she was frozen in shock and horror. She just watched on as Rey and the rest of her group stopped near the gates. Rey looked up, and her eyes met with her mother's. The Queen would never forget the animal rage on her daughters face in that moment.


	3. Chapter 3

**Naboo**

The Emperor's harem was home to thousands of women, most of them his wives, some of them prisoners and the wives of kings and princes who had died in war and whose kingdoms were seized by the Emperor. The rest were all servants and eunuchs who attended and served as security for the women. No man but the Emperor was allowed to set foot in the harem, and violating that law meant instant death without trial, at the hands of the Emperor himself.

The harem was also home to the Dowager Empress Leia Organa, the most powerful woman in the empire next to the Emperor's first wife, Phasma. Phasma, who was at this moment, reclining in a spacious bath inside a magnificent bathhouse at the harem, was being attended to by her many servants and eunuchs. Turmeric paste with milk, honey and rose oil was being gently massaged into her long pale limbs and rose water was used to wash her hair. Khema, her favorite servant girl was feeding her grapes and other dried fruit. A flute was playing in the background and the bathhouse was filled with voices of the young serving women, chatting happily. It was a truly extravagant display.

Phasma lifted one long, slender leg and watched water and rose petals cascade down. On days like this, when she had no special business to attend to, she would usually spend the whole day in the bathhouse, being massaged, primped and preened. As the Emperor's first wife, she had to look her best and set an example to the other wives, whom she frequently loved to bully. Nobody moved a muscle without the knowledge of Phasma and in the harem, her word was law.

She leaned back again and closed her eyes, as firm hands massaged her shoulders. She didn't notice the commotion at the entrance of the bathhouse a few minutes later, or when the flute stopped playing and the lively chatter of the servants died. But her eyes flew open when the smaller hands that were massaging her shoulders were replaced with bigger, stronger ones. She knew that touch.

"I wondered if you'd completely forgotten about me!" Phasma exclaimed turning her head

"I was busy" murmured Kylo Ren

"hmm, I believe I should congratulate you on your successful acquisition of Yavin and Hoth" Phasma turned around again and leaned into his touch " I was wondering, since I did help you plan your strategy, which part of the spoils will I be getting?"

Kylo Ren smirked

"I knew you'd ask about your share. With you everything has a price doesn't it?"

She flicked water from the bath playfully into his face.

"My services always have a price Your Majesty"

Kylo Ren leaned in and whispered in her ear. What he said made Phasma's eyes widen. After he had risen and left, she flapped her arms in the bath causing water to splash onto the floor, a gleeful look on her face.

As she rose from the bath she shouted to Khema

"Bring me my robe; I have a busy day ahead!"

And with that, she laughed all the way to the lounge. Now, she truly was the most powerful woman in the empire.

* * *

When General Snoke entered the Emperor's council chamber one afternoon, it was to find him bent over a map and in deep concentration.

"You called for me your majesty?"

Kylo Ren looked up

"Yes" he said, rising from the table "I've come to a decision about the leadership of the Yavin province"

Snoke's heartbeat quickened. This was what he had been waiting for weeks to hear, it would be him. He knew the wealthy Yavin would be his from the beginning and all the taxes collected from the people of Yavin would fall into his pocket.

"I'm giving it to my wife, Phasma"

Snokes heart sank and he tried to force a smile to not let his disappointment show, but internally, he was livid. He should have known that this would happen, that Kylo Ren would let Phasma's influence cloud his better judgement. Women were dangerous creatures indeed and this Phasma was slowly becoming a real threat.

"So?" Kylo Ren asked "What do you think?"

Snoke blinked

Despite everything, he still needed his mentor's endorsement and this time, Snoke's smile was real. The fact that Kylo Ren still needed Snoke's approval for his decisions was a comfort to him. The game wasn't over yet.

"I wholeheartedly agree with your decision Your Majesty" Snoke lied

Outside, a trooper was requesting permission to enter. When he was called in, Snoke saw that he was one of those whom he had sent to Jakku, to ransack the shrines some weeks ago.

The man was shaken and dirty; there were streaks of dried blood on his face.

"What in God's name happened to you man?" Snoke asked "I only sent you to raid the shrines, not start a war!"

The trooper mumbled something. He was clearly nervous.

"We only just arrived sir, some of the men are being attended to by a healer"

The man swallowed, and then continued

"We ran into some unexpected difficulties sir" he said, quietly "some of the troopers didn't make it back"

"What do you mean?" asked Kylo Ren "What difficulties?"

"The shrine was guarded that day by soldiers of the Jakku royal army"

Snoke sighed. _Idiots, why am I surrounded by idiots?_ he thought to himself

"So why didn't you wait until they had left?" Snoke asked

"We didn't think they would sir" The soldier replied "We thought they were stationed at the shrine to guard it, but it was only later that we found out that they were the guard of a Princess.."

"Princess?" Kylo Ren asked, cutting him off"What Princess?"

To their surprise, the trooper smiled suddenly, as if struck by sunlight and the hardships of the past weeks were immediately forgotten

"I saw her Your Majesty" the trooper breathed "my eyes were fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of her. Oh, if I had all the gold in the world I would trade all of it just to see her again!"

"Tell me" Kylo Ren prompted, intrigued by the trooper's praise "Tell me more about this Princess"

And as the trooper spoke, he stared transfixed

"She's the only daughter of the King of Jakku, and the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. Her face is more radiant than the moon and her eyes are like the eyes of a gazelle"

Snoke began to speak, but Kylo Ren raised a hand to silence him

"Continue" he said to the trooper

"Your Majesty, her lips are like lotus petals and everything about her is…and she can hold a sword too!"

"What?!"

Both Snoke and Kylo spoke at the same time. Neither had ever heard of a woman being able to wield a sword.

"How?"

"I saw her Your Majesty" The trooper continued "I saw her fighting two of our number at the same time. She is truly skilled!"

Kylo Ren was fascinated. He'd heard of women being skilled at all sorts of things and he had some of the most beautiful women in the country in his harem, but a woman who could wield a weapon was one of a kind. She must be special.

The trooper kept on speaking, but Kylo Ren was no longer listening. His mind was trying to piece together the descriptions of the Princess, trying to form her image in his mind. But something was missing.

* * *

That night, Kylo Ren tossed and turned in his sleep.

He dreamt he was fifteen years old again and facing Sidious on the battlefield and then he was five years old and watching his parents ride away, while tears cascaded down his cheeks.

And he saw her, or maybe it was her, he couldn't tell. Her radiant face glowed and her gazelle eyes blinked down at him where he was kneeling at her feet. But she was only a ghost of the real woman. Something was still missing.

He woke with a start. Troubled and breathing hard, he rose from his ornate bed and walked out onto his balcony to gaze at the night sky. He had decided to sleep in his personal chambers that night without visiting the harem. He couldn't stop thinking about her. He had never seen her in his life, yet she was already haunting his dreams. What was it about her?

Thinking that he would find peace in prayer, Kylo Ren made his way back inside, and rolled out his prayer mat, with its golden embroidery that glistened in the moonlight. Facing the night sky, he knelt on it, closing his eyes and clasping his hands he called to God. He stayed that way for about half an hour, lost in serenity, and when he opened his eyes again, he was refreshed. But he also knew what was missing, and what he had to do.

He had to see her.

He had to see her in person.

But how?

He knew how. He would have to go to Jakku, alone. But he also knew that Snoke would never allow him to undertake such a long and perilous journey on his own, just to get a glimpse of a woman. But he had to go, he was being called to her and he had to see her. It was such a reckless, impulsive thing to do, but it felt so right.

He was up in an instant and waking the guard posted at the door to his chamber. He ordered him to prepare his horse while he stuffed some supplies into a silk sack. At the stables he exchanged clothes with the stable boy, and covered his head with a turban.

"You may tell General Snoke in the morning that I will be gone for a few weeks" he said to the guard and stable boy who just stood and stared, stunned.

"Don't tell him where I've gone. Just say I went on a pilgrimage"

And with that he mounted his horse and rode off into the night.


	4. Chapter 4

**Jakku**

Rey sat in front of the large gold framed mirror in her room, looking at her reflection, but not really seeing herself. Jess sat behind her and was gently combing out the knots in her long hair from her afternoon nap, to get it ready for the ceremony that evening. She peeked around from behind Rey and smiled at her reflection.

"Aren't you excited? It's your betrothal ceremony!" She exclaimed, light dancing in her eyes

Rey tried to smile. After tonight she would be as good as married and she would be seeing her future husband for the first time. Well, not really the first time. She met him last year at the spring festival and he had followed her around like a lost puppy, much to her annoyance. But she had assurance from her father that he was a good, loving man. To Rey however, a 'loving' man was only half a man. He needed to be strong, he needed to be willing to fight for his kingdom, his people and his faith, and he had to be willing to lay down his life. Her father had laughed at his daughter's naivety; of course, those were qualities that all princes possessed.

Her mother had sat, silent, throughout this entire conversation. In fact, her mother had hardly ever spoken to her at all since the day she came back from the shrines and that was nearly two months ago. She wondered if it was because she was still angry with her, but no, she couldn't be that angry, even after all this time. Besides, she had never missed an opportunity to chastise Rey whenever she stepped out of line, and Rey thought that the scene she made when she rode back to Nima on a horse covered in dirt and blood would be enough to set her off. But no, not a word from her, she just stood there, pale as a ghost.

Neither Rey nor Jess spoke of what happened on Rey's birthday. Even after their physical wounds had healed, the whole experience had been emotionally trying for the young women, both of whom had led quite sheltered lives and had never witnessed bloodshed before that day.

"Poe Dameron came to see me this morning" Jess said matter-of -factly

"Oh"

Jess bent forward to whisper in Rey's ear

"He wants to talk to you after the ceremony; it's about that First Order prisoner"

"Why are you whispering?" Rey asked "and alright, tell him to come see me tonight"

Jess clicked her tongue "What if your mother's set spies on us? I don't know if you've noticed, but she's been acting really strangely, ever since we got back from…"

"Yes yes, I know" Rey cut across her

Jess sighed "I'll be sure to tell Poe Dameron"

And with that, she got up from her stool and clapped her hands. About ten serving girls entered the chamber carrying Rey's outfit, Jewellery and other accessory's and began the long process of preparing her to meet her future husband.

* * *

"He's definitely an outsider" a woman whispered to her friend "I've never seen him around here before"

"A young merchant perhaps, from another land" the man next to her suggested

"Oh, that's no commoner" said a younger man, coming to stand beside them "Look at the way he carries himself, he must be of noble blood at the very least"

The subject of their ruminations was standing about twenty feet away, admiring a stall on the streets selling reed baskets. He had a striking physique, being taller than most men in Jakku, with broad shoulders and muscular arms. Even the plain clothes he wore couldn't hide his imposing figure. His soft brown eyes took in the surroundings as if he were trying to memorize them. He certainly wasn't doing a good job of trying to blend in, if that was his intention.

"Can I help you sir?" The old woman at the basket stall asked him "it seems as if you might be lost"

"Is it that obvious?" the stranger chuckled; he had a deep but soft voice "could you tell me why your streets are decorated today? Is there a festival?"

Indeed, the streets had been lined with silk flags and hangings. Music was playing in every corner and children were dancing in the middle of the town square. More street vendors than usual were crowding the town of Nima and spirits were high.

"Ah yes!" the old woman said "today is our Princess Rey's betrothal ceremony"

"Rey" he whispered "she's betrothed?"

"Yes, to a Prince Sahan of Coruscant" The woman said happily "They'll be making an appearance at the town square in a few hours, if you care to wait"

"Of course" The young man replied

He would wait all night if he had to.

* * *

The ceremony couldn't end soon enough for Rey who was exhausted and weighed down by her elaborate outfit and jewellery. Beside her, her father looked on proudly and even her mother had managed to hold a smile. After the important rituals had been performed, she and her future husband were finally allowed to talk to each other.

"I hope you remember me...from last year…" he began, nervously

"Of course I do, how could I not?" She said, smiling

He beamed. He was probably not much older than she was, with a handsome face and was very agreeable. But Rey was not easily charmed. She had only agreed to enter into the marriage because she was hoping it would strengthen the ties between the provinces, which was probably what both his and her parents were hoping for in the first place. With the looming threat of the First Order and war at their doorstep, everyone was desperate to make ties with their neighbours. However, to Rey this was not just political, it was personal. She had promised the goddesses that she would take Kylo Ren's life in exchange for what he had done to the shrine, and she intended to keep her promise. Turning to look at the lanky boy sitting next to her, she was now unsure if he was the perfect candidate to help her in her mission.

"You're so beautiful" He said, noticing that she was watching him

She smiled again, eyes downcast, trying to play the bashful bride.

Her betrothed was just about to say something again when King Prana rose from his throne

"And now, it's time for the people of Jakku to meet their Prince and Princess!" He said, smiling broadly

* * *

Kylo Ren sat on the dusty pavement in front of the town square of Nima. If the old woman was right, then he would be seeing the princess very soon and then he could leave as soon as possible. He had wondered if anyone would recognize him, but nobody had ever really set eyes on Kylo Ren despite having heard of him. He overheard several conversations about him and the First Order, most of which had been very amusing to hear despite of the fear in the voices of those who were conversing. Never in their wildest dreams could they have imagined that the Kylo Ren himself would show up in Jakku on a whim. Kylo Ren was afraid of no one, yet he did not wish to fall into enemy hands. He saw a few of the royal guards of Jakku roaming the town and tried his best to avoid them, he had to be careful.

A few moments later, he thought he heard people cheering in the distance. He got up and followed the rest of the throng who were crowding around the large square. It was dark now, but the roads were lined with large burning torches, which cast a glow on the faces of all the people there, making them appear ghostly.

A procession was making its way down the road ahead. In front, a young man rode on a horse, his golden coat gleaming in the torchlight and a rope of pearls hanging around his neck. Kylo Ren guessed that it might be the princess's betrothed and he was not wrong, people cheered and called his name, scattering rose petals onto the path of his horse. And behind him, came a gold and red palanquin, carried by eight men. Kylo Ren's eyes followed its progress up the road. Without thinking, he moved with it, his eyes fixed on it, the crowd parted to let him through. He could just make out the shape of the person inside; the shadow of the outline of the silk cloth draped over her head and her beautiful profile through the satin curtains. His heartbeat quickened.

At the centre of the square, the prince dismounted his horse. The crowd cheered again and Kylo Ren watched as he strode over to the palanquin and parted the curtains. A small, bejewelled hand appeared, which the prince took gently in his own, and as Kylo Ren watched, mesmerized, the object of his fascination emerged from within.

She was more beautiful than he had imagined. As she stood there in her finery people called to her, congratulated her. Kylo Ren just gaped at her dazzling smile and glowing hazel eyes. The beast in him wanted to possess her, to take her in his arms and ride off into the desert and for an instant he saw her as his own wife, she was his and only his, he imagined them, alone in his chamber and she was running her hands through his hair. His daydream was broken as he was suddenly pushed forward into the crowd by a group of children who were trying to get a better look. He turned to frown at them, but when he turned back, the prince and the princess were leaving. Around them, the torches were almost burning out, threatening to engulf them all in darkness.

No. He was not satisfied. He had to get a closer look.

* * *

After Rey and her prince had returned to the palace, he kissed her tentatively before retiring to the guest chambers where he and his family were lodged. Rey and Jess waited until he was out of sight and then turned to the other ladies that had accompanied them.

"You can all go to bed, Jess will help me undress" Rey said

Gratefully, they did as they were told

"Go and get him" Rey whispered to Jess "Bring him to the courtyard"

Rey walked down to the courtyard, removing the silk cloth from her head and wrapping the long material around her arm. Removing her nose ring she sat down by the edge of the pond, and admired how its still water reflected the stars, moon and surrounding walls. It had been built there by her three older brothers, for her. When she was a child she had begged and begged her mother for a pet, but was refused. Her brothers had built the pond and stocked it with colourful little fish they had brought home from their travels. Rey sighed. It was one of the many things she would be leaving behind when she married.

She sat up suddenly, eyes wide. Behind her, sitting on the wall, was a man. She froze, too afraid to move. From what she could see of him from the reflection in the pond, he was tall, with dark hair that waved down to his shoulders and the most intense eyes she had ever seen on a man, or perhaps it was just the look he was giving her. Just as she was looking at his reflection in the water, he too was gazing at her reflection.

"Rey!"

It was Jess, descending the sandstone staircase in front of her, Poe Dameron followed behind. Rey shot up from her seat near the pond and whirled around to look up at the wall behind her. Nothing. He was gone.

"What is it?" Jess asked, seeing the alarm on her face

"Nothing" Rey said "It was nothing"

She turned to Poe

"You wished to speak to me about the prisoner?"

"Yes my lady" Poe said

He was a very handsome man adored by all her ladies. Rey admired him for his bravery and loyalty and so did her father, who had made him the captain of his guard.

"He wishes to speak with you"

"With me?"

"He says there's something important he wants to tell you, he wouldn't tell me what it was, but rest assured I'm the only one that knows about this"

"Didn't anyone interrogate him?"

"Of course, but we went easy on him, on your request and he had nothing to say then"

Rey remained silent for a while. What could a First Order trooper have to say to her? Why her and not the captain of the guard? But he had saved her life and maybe it was something to do with that. _Or_ , Rey thought, excitement rising within her, _it could be something to do with the First Order's military plans._

"Alright, we're going right now" Rey said

"Right now?! It's the middle of the night, and how will it look if someone found you sneaking into the prisons to speak to an enemy prisoner? What if you're mother catches us?" Jess looked scandalized

"it's fine my lady, I am the captain of the guard after all" Poe interjected "I can sneak you both in without anyone noticing"

He winked at Jess, who rolled her eyes.

"Fine, we'll go, if you insist" she said to Rey

* * *

Kylo Ren made his way down the now empty roads of Nima. He had taken a stupid risk in sneaking into the palace, but it had all been worth it. He had seen her and had even managed to scare her a little. He smiled as he remembered the look on her face.

Ahead of him he could hear people coming down the road. From the sound of their footsteps, it sounded like two royal soldiers; he could tell they were wearing heavy boots and carrying heavy weaponry. He managed to slip between two empty vending stalls and disappeared into the shadows.

"I won't be able to go home tonight. Prison duty"

"Ah, I heard the First Order trooper still isn't talking"

"Honestly, if it was up to me, I can think of a hundred ways to get him talking, but apparently the princess insisted had that he not be harmed"

As they walked up the road and into the darkness, Kylo Ren emerged from his hiding place, his mind working furiously. They had a First Order trooper? But how?

But it was one of his men. He couldn't just leave knowing that one of his men was in enemy hands, and in a second he had made up his mind. He was going back.


	5. Chapter 5

**Naboo**

Even though it was past midnight, Snoke poured himself some more wine. This was the calm before the storm and he was savoring it as best he could. He was also savoring the familiar feeling of exhilaration before a battle. Their empire was growing steadily and soon they would be unstoppable. The emperor would be the most powerful warmonger in the country.

Snoke enjoyed the thrill of battle though he only personally entered a battlefield if the emperor himself was participating in the fight. But mostly when it came to conquering smaller kingdoms, the emperor would let his other generals lead the armies. In the case of Jakku, there was no need for the emperor to intercede; he didn't even need to know. But he himself had provided the perfect opportunity and the perfect excuse to muster their forces near the province of Jakku. It had all been General Hux's idea. Kylo Ren had been against attacking Jakku, citing that it would be a waste of resources on such an insignificant province and that once the larger kingdoms around it had fallen, Jakku would have no choice but to surrender without the need for war. But Hux had planned the attack, Jakku would be his conquest and the time was now.

The morning after the emperor had suddenly disappeared from the palace, Snoke had been informed by the guard who had slept outside Kylo Ren's chambers that he had gone to Jakku.

Snoke and Hux had met that morning to discuss the matter.

"Why on earth would he ride all by himself all the way to Jakku?"

The ginger haired general had stroked his chin and turned to Snoke with the brilliant idea

"I see an opportunity here" Hux had said "We can send our forces to Jakku without the emperor's permission and we could say it was out of concern for his security"

Snoke smiled

"Of course, then all we have to do is attract their attention and war with Jakku will be inevitable"

"What about the emperor?" Hux asked

"He can take care of himself. Though he may act like a fool half the time he is cleverer than he seems" Snoke waved his hand "and I'm sure he will find you"

Hux had left with his men the same afternoon. He could not wait another day.

Snoke was so lost in thought that he barely noticed when his manservant arrived to announce someone into his chamber

"Sir?"

Snoke whirled around "Yes, what is it?"

"Sir, the Dowager Empress is here and wishes to speak with you"

"Send Her Majesty in" Snoke replied swiftly

The woman was permitted admission, and when she entered, though she was small, her commanding presence seemed to fill the entire chamber. Beautiful and grand, Leia Organa's eyes hardened as she took in Snoke.

"Your Majesty" Snoke said "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company at this very late hour?"

"I have come to ask after my son" She said coldly "Since he spends most of his time with you, perhaps you can tell me where he is. I haven't seen him in weeks"

her dislike of Snoke was evident in her tone.

Snoke bowed

"Your majesty" He said "I can't tell you where the emperor is at the moment, but rest assured he will come to no harm"

Leia closed her eyes and through gritted teeth said,

"Then he is safer away from home" she opened her eyes "and if he will come to no harm while he is away, then I pray he never returns to your side"

"You can pray all you want your majesty, but your son is where he is today because of me" Snoke said smiling "Don't forget it"

Now it was Leia's turn to smile, but her smile was sad

"How could I ever forget" she said grimly

And with that, she left the room.

* * *

 **Jakku**

Poe Dameron led the two young women down the stone steps towards the back of the palace. The prisons were located outside of the Nima fortress which protected the town and the palace, while the prisoners of Jakku were housed outside in cage like prison cells. Most of the prisoners were just thieves and brawlers. Jakku was a peaceful little kingdom and nobody committed any serious crimes, with the exception of outsiders. Right now, the only outsider in the prisons cells was the First Order trooper.

Rey's feet sunk into the sand as she exited the stone steps. Her outfit was weighing her down and the dark cloak that Poe had draped over her to cover her glittering clothes and jewelry was just another added weight. She wished she'd taken the time to change into lighter more comfortable attire, but her curiosity had gotten the better of her earlier and she was in too much of a rush to see the trooper.

"Now, there's no need to be afraid my lady, but if you do feel frightened, know that I'll be right beside you" Poe said turning to look back at Rey.

"I'm not afraid!" Rey answered in an exasperated voice "I can take care of myself"

"Ah…I'd forgotten" Poe smiled as he remembered the day they had been attacked at the shrines and the Princesses prowess with the sword.

The First Order trooper's cell was the most heavily guarded. Poe made Jess and Rey stay hidden behind another cell while he called away the guards. When they were safely out of sight, Poe beckoned to them.

Rey walked forward quickly but Jess moved more cautiously, as though she were approaching the cage of a dangerous animal. Rey could just make out the outline of the man crouching in the corner, shrouded in darkness.

"I'm here" Rey called to him "What is it that you want?"

The figure rose up and walked out from the shadows and into the torchlight. He was bruised and looked tired but his eyes were glowing with reflected light.

"You're in danger" he said simply "Your kingdom is in danger"

"And why are you telling me this?" Rey asked, frowning "You could have simply told the captain" Rey gestured to Poe.

"They wouldn't have believed me" The trooper said looking away, he opened his mouth again to speak and then closed it again.

"Tell me" Rey continued "Is it to do with the First Order?"

The trooper regarded her and then began to speak

"Before I was called away to raid the shrines, me and some of my fellow troopers were stationed in the Unknown regions with General Hux's battalion. Even now as we speak, Hux is planning a surprise attack on Jakku"

Rey's eyes widened, war was coming sooner than she expected and of course, nobody would think to patrol the unknown regions. The people of Jakku were afraid of it and believed the place to be filled with evil spirits, but that superstition was now going to cost them the safety of their kingdom.

"Of course, the First Order has no honor. They would attack us while our backs are turned!" Rey said bitterly

"You don't understand" The trooper persisted "Hux has been planning this for months. The emperor doesn't know about it and Hux thinks he can take Jakku for himself"

He paused for a moment and then said darkly

"Hux in not like the emperor, he takes no prisoners. You're all in danger"

"Why are you telling us this?"

The trooper blinked and then said

"Because it's the right thing to do"

Rey straightened herself. A few minutes ago, she was excited at the prospect of learning something about the First Order's plans, but now, panic was rising within her.

"I must tell my father…"

"No my lady" Poe Dameron cut across her "You and Jess should go back to the palace. I will tell your father"

Rey nodded, she turned to Jess, who was pale and silent

"We should go back"

But looking back once more, she gazed into the face of the trooper

"Thank you, Finn"

He smiled. She had remembered his name.

* * *

Kylo Ren had followed one of the soldiers he had overheard on the streets all the way to the Jakku prison cells. He hid in the shadows, hand on his sword, waiting quietly until the man had changed into his guard uniform. Jakku had the tiniest prison complex he had ever seen, but of course, this was a small kingdom and he was the emperor of a vast empire, so everything else would seem tiny in comparison to what he was used to.

The guard now moved closer to his hiding place, fastening his belt and Kylo Ren pounced on him, dragging him backwards. He knocked the guard unconscious with the hilt of his sword, stripped him and changed into the uniform.

He realized he had no idea where he had to go once he emerged from the darkness. He had thought that it would be easy to find the First Order prisoner, considering how small and poorly guarded the place was but walking around a few times, he was completely lost.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted some people coming down the sandy pathway ahead of him. He backed himself against the sandstone wall, sword in hand, pretending to be a guard on duty.

"But I don't believe the part about Kylo Ren not knowing about this attack, I'm sure he might have planned it with Hux"

The mention of his name caught his attention and slowly he looked around to see who it was that was talking about him. His heart skipped a beat. It was the Princess and there were two other people with her, a man and another woman. _What's she doing here?_

He strained to listen, not moving a muscle.

"A man as greedy and bloodthirsty as Kylo Ren certainly wouldn't pass up an opportunity to terrorize a small kingdom like ours..."

Kylo Ren's eyes widened. Here was the woman he had idolized in his mind, and he couldn't believe the words coming out of her mouth about him. Anger and bitterness began to bubble in his heart.

"There's no way we can fight this alone, the First Order is too powerful" The man beside her said

"I'm sure if our neighboring kingdoms came together to fight we would have no difficulty in bringing down the First Order and finish Kylo Ren" the princess replied

 _So, she wants to destroy me?_ Kylo Ren thought, gritting his teeth. His mind worked furiously to try and hide his anger, but he was forced to snap back to attention as the three figures came closer and closer to the place where he stood. He found that he could no longer move, and as they passed the wall where he stood, relief flooded through him. But then, the princess hesitated and her head turned to him, her eyes bore into his and he saw a flash of recognition in hers as her mouth opened slightly.

What happened next seemed a blur of events he did not anticipate. The Princess, quick as a flash, reached up under her skirt to retrieve the dagger she had secured on her leg with a belt, and just as swiftly, she strode to where he was standing and brought up the blade and held it across his throat. He froze.

"Who are you and why are you following me?!" She demanded

* * *

Rey had noticed something out of the corner of her eye. Not something, but someone, she recognized him immediately. It was the man who had sat on the wall of the courtyard, but this time he was dressed in guard uniform.

In one swift movement, she had the dagger at his throat

"Who are you and why are you following me?!"

The man's eyes blazed

"I'm not quite sure what you mean" Then looking down at the blade on his throat added "Your Highness"

Rey snorted "You've been following me the whole time. You know what I think?" she whispered menacingly "I think you're spying on me"

"And why would I spy on you?"

"Good question" Rey replied in a high pitched voice "what were you doing on my courtyard wall?!"

"I have no idea what Your Highness is talking about, I'm just a poor soldier doing my job"

"Or, you could be an enemy spy" Rey suggested "How about that?"

Kylo Ren felt the blade digging deeper into his skin, if she pushed any further, she would draw blood. He was used to pain and seeing his own blood, but this woman was making him feel helpless, pushed up against a wall. If he made a move to disarm her, he would risk exposing himself. It was humiliating. He suddenly felt like a weak fool who had let his heart rule his head and at that moment he realized the importance of Snoke's teachings.

"Forgive me Your Highness, I was under orders from your father" he lied "I'm assigned to protect you"

"I knew it!" Jess whispered

"I know of no such order" Poe, who was frowning, finally spoke up "And I don't recognize you"

"You wouldn't know me" Kylo Ren said "I was hired in secrecy. Pardon me Your Highness, I'll leave now if you don't require my services"

Rey was convinced. She was sure this was the work of her mother and that Jess had been right about spies being set on them. She removed the dagger from the man's throat. But now she had something else to worry about.

"Don't tell my mother you saw me out here" She said sheepishly

"I won't" The man said

The three of them turned around again and headed up the lane while Kylo Ren started walking up the path in the opposite direction. He'd gotten away for now and he'd also gotten a good close-up look at the princess, the sole reason he'd come to Jakku in the first place, but now he'd had enough. He had to find the trooper.

* * *

Finn was almost drifting off to sleep when he noticed movement outside his cell. Slowly, he crawled to the bars and peered out. Across from him, a guard was examining the front row of cells.

 _That's strange_ Finn thought as he settled back, but as the guard turned Finn nearly cried out in surprise. It was not a guard, but the emperor himself who was looking right at him now. Finn caught himself.

"Your Majesty?" Finn whispered

Kylo Ren put a finger to his lips.

"I'm going to get you out, hold on" he said

Before he knew it, Finn was free. He and the emperor were now galloping across the desert on two stolen horses, far away from Jakku where he had been a prisoner for more than two months.

When they had gone far enough, Finn signaled Kylo Ren to stop his horse. The two men dismounted and Finn proceeded to tell Kylo Ren about Hux's plans for Jakku. He listened silently, and after Finn finished his story, began to speak

"Change of plans, we're not going back to Naboo. Let's pay a visit to the Unknown regions"

Finn nodded, before turning back to mount his horse. Kylo Ren hesitated for a while and looking up at the sky, at the stars that twinkled like little glowing speckles against the gorgeous midnight blue, he felt as if the vast heavens were reaching out to him. Jakku was certainly beautiful at night, perhaps it wasn't so desolate and insignificant after all and he felt he wouldn't mind owning such a view.

"Well Princess" Kylo Ren muttered to himself, his fists were clenched and the cut on his throat was like a burning reminder "You want to see me destroyed, but let's see how your army stands against the might of mine"


	6. Chapter 6

_**Hi guys! I'm so thrilled to be able to share this story with you and I'm really excited for the characters and their journeys. I've certainly enjoyed writing it so far and I hope you enjoy reading it. A big thank you to those of you that left reviews in the last chapters, they are much appreciated and have definitely motivated me! 3 :)**_

 _ **and now lets move on to chapter 6...**_

 **Jakku**

The streets of Nima which the week before had been lively, colorful and filled with music were now empty and bleak. News of the impending attack on the kingdom had spread like wildfire. The five young Princes of Jakku were preparing for war and the king himself, too old to ride into battle, placed the responsibility of leading his army to his eldest son and heir, Prince Samm. As the newest addition to the family, the Princess's betrothed, Prince Sahan of Coruscant and a legion of his own soldiers would be riding with them to honor their newfound alliance.

In her chambers, Rey was arranging the little alcove in the corner of her room where she kept a small effigy of her goddess. The men riding out to war meant long days and sleepless nights for the women and children of the kingdom, praying in front of their altars and preparing remedies and medicine to treat the wounded.

Fear was holding Rey's heart in a tight grip. In her mind, she had kept replaying the events of the night she had gone to see the First Order trooper. The next morning, they had found his cell empty. She was terrified that it would somehow trace back to her and that the spy her parents had set on her would be forced to reveal that she had been the last person to see him. But no one said anything to her on the matter and Poe Dameron had kept his word. They never spoke of that night.

But why had the trooper revealed the First Orders plans to her? How did he escape? Had it all been a trap, a ruse?

A dozen thoughts were going through Rey's mind as she arranged flowers and candles around the alcove she felt frightened for her brothers and her fiancée. She hardly knew her husband- to- be, but he had called on her the day after their betrothal, as Rey was grinding spices and herbs on the balcony of her room.

"What are you doing?" He'd asked, squatting in front of her

She had been surprised to see him, but glad nonetheless

"I'm making a remedy for joint pain. It's for my father"

"Oh so you're the royal doctor?" he said, his eyes shining with humor

Rey emptied the contents of her pestle into a stone bowl before answering.

"Well, my second oldest brother was attacked by a tiger a few years ago. He was seriously hurt when they brought him home, so my father called in a very special healer to treat him"

Rey stirred the paste in the bowl

"He's the best in the country and he brought his own herbs and he made his medicine in our courtyard. I was about thirteen years old then and my mother let me watch him. He noticed my interest and after that, he came to our palace once a week for about three years to teach me about herbs and medicine"

"Well, you're lucky you found a useful study to pass your time. But in Coruscant, there's never a boring day, you'll be busy all day everyday"

This was probably a reminder for Rey that she would be leaving her home soon. She didn't look up, but continued stirring the paste.

"I met with your father this morning" the Prince continued "He's going to declare war on the First Order"

Now Rey looked at him

"He's making the first move? Why? Before we even know if they intend to go to war with us?"

She had to be careful. She couldn't reveal to him that she knew about the attack that was being planned by the First Order against them.

"Well, declaring war on your enemies in writing is the most honorable way to start a war. And last night, a captain of your fathers guard told him of some information he'd gotten out of that First Order prisoner. Apparently there's a whole battalion of them hiding out in the Unknown regions, planning a surprise attack on the kingdom. Then this morning, that prisoner's cell was empty. He'd escaped"

Worry lined the Prince's face, he swallowed and then continued

"We think he may have had help"

"Help?"

"Yes. From one of his own, and your father is furious at the idea of First Order soldiers looting holy places and roaming freely in the kingdom. He's declaring war before they get the chance to play us again"

"I'm sure we have a chance to defeat them" Rey asserted 'I'm not worried"

Rey hadn't told him about her burning desire to see Kylo Ren defeated

The Prince smiled "Well, we're preparing for a war now"

"I'm ready" Rey murmured

"You know this means we'll have to postpone our wedding" He said

"I can wait" Rey assured him

But Rey became more worried as each day passed, and now as she sat lighting the candles, illuminating the beauiful and compassionate face of her goddess she wondered what would happen if they lost the war. _No_ she thought _we have the blessings of the Gods and they support the good and righteous, they would never let evil prevail._ They were doing the right thing by going to war. But whenever she tried to console herself, she somehow felt that something was amiss.

* * *

 **The Unknown regions**

Just as General Hux had anticipated, the Emperor found them. He had been sneaking around Nima and had also rescued one of their own soldiers who'd been held prisoner there. Hux was also sure that Jakku soldiers would be hot on Kylo Ren's heels, but it was only a few days later that a messenger shot an arrow into one of their tents, with a letter from the king of Jakku himself, declaring war on the First Order. Hux had smirked as he read the letter, things were going exactly as he had planned, and now war with Jakku was inevitable no matter what the Emperor thought.

The only downside was that Kylo Ren was taking an unusual interest in Jakku. The plan had been all Hux's and the last thing he needed was Kylo Ren meddling with his preparations. He wanted all the glory, as well as the spoils.

"We can split into two groups" Kylo Ren suggested "You can lead one group through the flats, and I'll lead the other through the canyon, that way we can attack from all sides"

"Yes, that would be more effective" Hux agreed

"No doubt the Princes would be leading their armies. I want them all captured, alive" Kylo Ren added

"Your Majesty" Hux began, irritated "what use is there, keeping the enemy alive?"

"Plenty of use General" Kylo Ren said

Hux was seething. Everything he had carefully planned was being thrown out in favor of the Emperor's plans. But he didn't have a choice, he was just a general and his job was to obey orders.

In a few days, they were going to war and God willing, they would return victorious.

* * *

 **Jakku**

On the day their troops rode out into battle, the people of Jakku came out of their homes and onto the streets to cheer them as they went by. The royal family stood on the Nima fortress, as the King and Queen blessed their five sons and their sister tied string from the holy shrines around their wrists for protection. They each bent their heads to her, and she said a prayer over them.

The Princess's future husband came next. He took her hand and kissed it

"Rey, I promise that I'll do everything I can to protect your home land. I'm willing to give up my life for it"

For the first time ever, Rey felt proud of him

"Well then, I'm honored to be your wife" She said

She and her parents, watched from atop the wall as procession made its way through the gate. This was it. Now all that was left to do was to hope, pray and wait.

* * *

Rey and Jess lay awake every night for five nights, and on the fifth night looking out of the balcony her of room, Rey noticed the whole kingdom had remained awake as well. She could make out little lights flickering in every home from a distance.

"Just in case we lose this war, we have to be ready to flee" Jess warned Rey

"Oh don't be silly Jess" Rey laughed "They'll never chase us out of our kingdom. We're going to win, just you wait and see"

"If you say so" Jess shrugged and walked over to the alcove where the Goddess stood, looking down on them.

Suddenly, a gush of wind blew in through the balcony. The candles at the feet of the Goddess flickered and died and a hissing noise suddenly filled the air.

"What was that?" Jess asked

A cold shiver ran down Rey's spine. An omen.

"Quick!" She cried "We have to relight them"

"Rey, this isn't good"

Rey ignored Jess and in her hurry to revive the candles, even managed to burn herself a few times. She looked up at the statue, and its face was enclosed in darkness. Her heart began to beat faster.

She closed her eyes and began to pray

* * *

She was woken the next day by the sound of shouting and banging outside.

"They're back, they're back!"

Rey and Jess rushed out, hair wild around their pale faces. One of the court ladies called Rey to the balcony over the courtyard where her parents were already standing, silent and alert.

"Our Princes, all five of them, they've been taken prisoner by the First Order!" A man cried from near the gate "It's over, we've lost!"

Rey looked on, hands shaking, fear and panic washing over her. Her own brothers had been taken hostage. Her mother was suddenly weeping hysterically in her father arms and all the women around her were crying, but Rey was numb to her surroundings. She couldn't believe what she was hearing, _no, it can't be_.

Then, through the gates, Poe Dameron rode in, dirty and bloody. Rey tried to catch his attention, but when he looked up and she searched his face for some sort of sign, there was nothing but pity in his eyes and he immediately looked away. Behind him some men were pulling a cart flanked by soldiers and there was something in it covered in a white sheet, a soldier perhaps. But one of the men pulled back the sheet, and this time Rey's legs gave way and she tumbled onto the sandstone floor. Lying there was her betrothed, pale and cold, his life taken from him too soon. Fresh cries and screams rose from the crowds, the Coruscants had lost their Prince.

"It was General Hux" She heard Poe saying "But the Prince fought hard to the very end"

"No" Rey whispered "No"

Nobody noticed Rey. They were all too busy mourning the dead Prince and the five lost Princes who they believed, at the hands of the First Order, were as good as dead.

Despite the mayhem and state of confusion, Rey felt arms encircling her and pulling her up.

"Come on Rey"

It was Jess, her face streaked with tears, she managed to pull Rey back to her feet and support her back to her chamber.

The room felt colder and darker than they had remembered when they left it and the candles they had lit at the feet of the Goddess were now just heaps of wax, burnt black. Jess helped Rey into bed and pulled the covers over her. Rey did not protest, she just let herself be guided. Jess sat up on the bed next to her and slowly stroked her hair. Rey wished she were in a dream, and that any moment she would wake up, and her brothers would be at home and she would still be getting married and her kingdom was still secure. But as each minute passed, the pain became more and more real, as if she were being stabbed in the chest repeatedly.

When she could bear it no more, she burst into tears


	7. Chapter 7

**Jakku**

The King and Queen of Jakku sat alone in their chamber, lost in thought. A thick roll of parchment lay unfurled between them. The First Order symbol stamped in red, stood out, foreboding, along with the dark writing against the yellow paper.

A handsome eagle landed on the stone ledge of their window, a dead animal on its claws. The King and Queen watched it for a while, distracted. To the birds that soared high over the burning skies of Jakku and the animals that wandered out over its sandy dunes, it was just another day, but for its human inhabitants, their way of life was in Jeopardy. They would never leave their King's side, but their lives were now in his hands. Whatever move he chose to make next could mean the difference between life and death.

At length the Queen turned to her husband, her eyes filling with tears, her voice hopeful.

'Will you agree to it?"

The king sighed

"I have no choice" He mumbled "How convenient for them, to send us a peace treaty after they've won the war against us and taken our sons"

"But you will sign it… there's no other way…" Queen Adah was now clinging to her husband's gold sleeve in desperation. At this point nothing mattered more to her than her boys.

"Do you understand what this means Adah?" The King turned to her "We will be traitors to our own people. They will never want to connect themselves with us or associate with us ever again, possibly for generations to come"

"But our sons are more important my King!" The Queen cried her face contorting as she tried to control herself.

The King had to give this some thought. He knew he would end up agreeing to the treaty in any case, but he had to think about what this might mean for his people. The town of Nima was already at risk of invasion. They had lost the war but if they bowed to the demands of the First Oder, the kingdom would be wealthy, have more opportunities to trade and acquire more resources. But it would not be his Kingdom anymore and they would be at the mercy of the Emperor as long as they lived. His daughter Rey would never marry again, at least not into royalty as nobody of their faith would take a daughter of a traitor into their home. The King enjoyed his independent kingdom and the freedom of his people, he had fought for that, his ancestors had fought for it, but now, all of that was lost. He had no choice.

Unless…

But it could work, if the Emperor agreed. IF he agreed.

The King glanced at his wife, who was now wiping her tears on her silk shawl.

"We can still make the most of this" He said, taking her hands in his

She looked up as he spoke. When he confided his plans to her, the horrified look on her face made him recoil.

"No" the Queen's voice shook as she spoke "You want to trade our daughter for our sons?"

"No no, it's not like that" The King explained "Our sons will be freed once I sign the treaty, but the alliance I will propose will be stronger than anything forged from a mere piece of paper. It will be an alliance of two families, a union of two royal bloodlines!"

The Queen stared at her husband as if her worst nightmare was coming true. Maz's words had haunted her for months. She had tried so hard to ignore them, but it seemed that she couldn't ignore fate if this was what her daughter's future entailed for her. She hadn't told the King about Maz's prediction for Rey's future, she hadn't told a soul.

"She will never agree to this…" she began

"Well she has no choice. Her only job as a Princess is to do as she is told!"

Rey could be forced into marriage, but there were several other hurdles they had to face, some of them more imperative than others.

"How are we going to explain this to Prince Sahan's family?" The Queen asked

The King closed his eyes "I don't know, they won't like it, but there are more important things at stake here than their approval"

* * *

That evening, the King and Queen of Jakku sat down face to face with the King and Queen of Coruscant.

"My son is barely cold in his grave, and you're already planning your daughter's wedding to the man who is responsible for his death?!"

King Prana had expected this reaction from the Coruscants, he promised himself that he would bear and accept anything they chose to say to him.

Queen Adah, tears flowing down her face, spoke "We have no choice, they have our sons!"

"What about my son?" The Queen of Coruscant responded "he died defending your kingdom from the First Order, and now you want give them everything he fought for? Died for?"

King Prana remained steadfast in his decision, despite the opposition

"If I don't sign this, our kingdom will be ruined, thousands of women will be widowed and children orphaned. I fought to keep the kingdom safe, and I failed. If this is now the only way I can ensure the security of my people, then I will accept the First Order rule"

"Very well King Prana" The King of Coruscant stood up, furious "Many of our neighboring realms have fallen to the First Order, but I have never heard of a king give up to them as willingly as you. You are a coward and a traitor, and I will make sure that every kingdom in the country hears of your treachery!"

His queen followed him

"I don't wish to stay here any longer" She told her husband, disgust evident on her face "I don't want to stay another minute with these traitors who would dishonor my son"

"Yes" He agreed, turning to King Prana and his Queen "I'll never forget this and this won't be the last you see or hear of us"

When they had left the King and Queen of Jakku remained silent for a while, trying to process what had just occurred before the King got to his feet.

"I have many matters to take care of. I'll send a message to the Emperor requesting an audience"

"Please be careful my love" The Queen pleaded "Who knows what they might..."

"Whatever they do to me, it can't be worse than what they've already done" The King reached out and gently stroked his wife's hair "Don't worry, I'm going to try and make things right"

* * *

 **The Unknown regions**

King Prana made the long journey to the First Order campsite on horseback. He only brought a handful of soldiers with him, though he was advised to take the whole army. But he didn't want to give the wrong impression. He wanted the Emperor to know that he was coming in peace.

He was led towards a heavily guarded, lavish tent erected right at the center of the campsite. The sharp eyes of several First Order troopers followed them as they walked by, suspicion and hatred etched in their faces. No enemy had ever walked freely into any of their camps in living memory.

As he entered the tent, he was met with the sight of a massive banner embroidered with the First Order symbol, hanging from the ceiling. The interior of the tent was only simply decorated, but served its purpose. A rectangular table stood at the center and at this moment, the Emperor was sitting behind it, deep in conversation with several of his officials who flanked him. As King Prana approached, the Emperor looked up and he came face to face with Kylo Ren for the first time.

King Prana was shocked at how young the Emperor looked. He was sure he would be a much older man.

"Greetings Your Majesty, I see you've set up camp at a very convenient location" King Prana remarked, bowing

"Welcome" Kylo Ren said. He bowed his head but did not rise from his seat. King Prana was reminded that he now appeared in front of the Emperor as one of his subjects and not as a royal who could claim equal respect.

"I invited you to my royal tent because I was impressed by your courage" his eyes roved over King Prana, appraising him "You probably won't be surprised to hear that I have never received a request for an audience from any King but you. You are very brave man King Prana"

"I came on behalf of my people and my sons" King Prana's voice was cold but polite "I wish to know how they are…"

"Your sons are well King Prana, I can assure you they are not in any immediate danger" Kylo Ren interjected "I am honored that you have travelled so far to see me. I'm sure you've received the treaty that was sent you. Have you come with an answer?"

King Prana took a deep breath before replying

"I wish to include my Kingdom of Jakku under First Order sovereignty. I will accept your treaty"

Kylo Ren smiled

"That is excellent news! I'm pleased to hear that you are entrusting Jakku to us"

King Prana gritted his teeth. _Only for lack of better options_ he thought. But that was not what he was here for; he was here on more important business.

"There is one more thing…" Despite his initial confidence, King Prana hesitated

"Pray continue" Kylo Ren encouraged him

"I would rather discuss this matter in private Your Majesty"

"Very well" Kylo Ren said. He gestured to his officers and advisors to leave his presence. Some of them exchanged looks of surprise as they moved to obey his orders but didn't dare question the Emperor.

Kylo Ren nodded his head as a sign for him to continue.

"Your Majesty" King Prana went on "I would also like to offer you the hand of my daughter in marriage, to strengthen the alliance between Jakku and the First Order"

To King Prana, the prolonged silence that ensued after he uttered those words seemed ominous. The astonishment on Kylo Ren's face was evident. He seemed momentarily paralyzed.

At length, King Prana managed to break the silence between them

"I can understand the reason behind your silence Your Majesty..." He began "Perhaps I was too hasty…I meant no disrespect"

"You misunderstand me" Kylo Ren responded, as his shock wore off "I appreciate your courage in speaking your mind"

"I hope you will consider it Your Majesty"

"You speak of your only daughter, Princess Rey, am I right?" Kylo Ren asked

King Prana blinked

"You know of my daughter?"

"I've heard a little bit about her" Kylo Ren answered, smirking "and as for your proposal, I shall have to give it some thought, but I will send you a response in due course"

"Of course, as you wish"

King Prana bowed. He had done what he could, the rest was in the hands of the gods.

* * *

 **Jakku**

"But he is my ENEMY!" Rey screamed, tears sliding down her face "I've sworn on the blood of my ancestors that I would destroy him!"

Rey had yet to recover from the shock of losing her fiancé. She didn't think much of it when her father requested her presence in his chamber, but she had guessed it might be to discuss her new marriage prospects. There was nothing else for a woman of her age to look forward to besides marriage. But a marriage to a sworn enemy was an idea she'd never entertained.

"You? Destroy him?" Her father countered, his face furious "You can forget all that. If he agrees to the marriage, he will be your husband, and that will be the end of it. I don't want to hear any more about your childish dreams of vengeance"

Rey knelt at her father's feet, taking both of his hands in hers

"But father, you don't understand!" She sobbed "I'm _afraid_ of him, of what he might do to me!"

King Prana's eyes softened

"You have nothing to fear Rey, I promise. You will be his wife, not his prisoner"

"Mother!" Rey whimpered, turning to her pale faced mother "Mother PLEASE!"

"Sweetheart, listen to your father, he would never do anything to put you in harm's way" and that was all the Queen could manage

"NO!" Rey cried "I cannot agree to this! Please father anything but this, I'll do anything!"

"I had no choice but to give up my kingdom for the sake of the people. If I hadn't signed that treaty, they would have descended on Jakku like a pack of wolves and torn our town and palace apart. Your brothers did their bit by fighting for the kingdom and now you must do yours by securing our new alliance" Her father replied, somberly "This is your only chance to make a good match"

"But he's NOT a good match!" Rey responded "He is our enemy! He violated our holy ground and the man I was betrothed to, died fighting against him. How is he a good match?"

Rey persisted and argued but despite her parents being unable to give her satisfactory answers to any of her questions, there was no turning back from the decision her father had made for her.

"But we will never be accepted by our own people if you go through with this" Rey said weakly

Her parents glanced at each other. Rey saw the look that passed between them and her heart sank.

"They know, don't they?" she said, her eyes welling up with fresh tears "They know you signed it…and that you want me to marry him. That's why Sahan's parents left. They left without telling me…" Rey broke off, unable to bear the thought of being branded a traitor by the people whom she had come to care for.

But this was out of her hands.

* * *

 **The Uknown regions**

Kylo Ren knelt on his prayer rug, alone in his tent, his mind in turmoil. He needed advice; he needed to know what he had to do.

"Help me" He called, his hands clasped, his eyes closed "I need your guidance, almighty one, to help me realize my dream of a country, united under one peaceful rule. Show me the way"

As he prayed, King Prana's proposal floated into his thoughts. He didn't know what to make of it. A few weeks ago he would not have hesitated at the chance to acquire Princess Rey. But now he realized he had to be shrewd in his decision making, he couldn't simply act on his desires and whims. What advantages would he gain from marrying her?

He recalled the last time he had knelt on his prayer rug with thoughts of Princess Rey on his mind. He had been inexplicably called to Jakku.

And then it hit him. Perhaps this was what God intended. God had shown him the way to Jakku, and now Jakku was bringing him the solution and showing him the path to his desired goal. Suddenly, he knew what had to be done.

Now all that was left for Kylo Ren to do was to justify his decision to his mentor.

* * *

"Are you mad Your Majesty?" Was Snoke's immediate response "She is a heathen, an enemy of our faith and her people are sworn enemies of the First Order!"

"Her father has submitted his kingdom to our rule. Besides, there are plenty of women of her faith in my harem. It's nothing new for me to take royal women from the kingdoms I have conquered"

"Yes, but you've never made any of them your wives!" Snoke reasoned

Kylo Ren turned away from Snoke

"I've made my decision" He said, and there was finality in his voice "I'm marrying the Princess of Jakku"

"Your Majesty!" Snoke cried in desperation "I hope you've heard of the riots, perpetuated by _her_ people against ours, and how they've blocked the roads to our pilgrimage sites…."

"And that is exactly why I plan to go ahead with this marriage General" Kylo Ren said "I've finally realized what needs to be done, where my father and grandfather went wrong and why they were never able to consolidate the country under one rule. But now, I can finish what they started. God has shown me the way. I never realized it before, but now I know what it means"

Snoke stared in disbelief.

"This union will be a marriage of alliance, not just between two families, but also two faiths"

He turned back to Snoke, who could not think of anything more to say. The Emperor would do as he pleased.

"You may convey my message of acceptance to the King of Jakku. I will marry his daughter"


	8. Chapter 8

_**hehe I know I update frequently but I've already written like half the story, so what's the point in holding back right? ;)**_

 _ **Also, I just realized I've been spelling 'Nima' wrong the whole time. It's supposed to be**_

 _ **'Niima'...sorry about that. I'll go back and fix it later.**_

 _ **As always, I love reading all your comments and I'm so happy you're looking forward to this!**_

 **Jakku**

As dawn came and went, the sun rose over the sand dunes of Jakku and bathed the palace and the town of Niima with its halo of sunlight. It was a beautiful bright day, but the atmosphere in the palace was far from it.

Rey had not been able to sleep properly for days. She sat on the floor in front of the alcove in her room where she kept the idol of her Goddess, leaning forward on the altar, her face buried in her arms. Around her, her ladies and servants were carefully packing her belongings into wooden trunks and boxes.

Raising her head, Rey surveyed her chamber for the hundredth time that morning. The custom was that once a woman was married, she could never return to the room in which she had slept in as a child. Rey wanted to be able to remember the place where she had spent most of her nineteen years. The room where she had slept, danced, learned, laughed, cried in, she wanted to remember it all for the rest of her life. Thinking of the massive life changes ahead made her numb with grief. Not only would she be leaving behind everything that was dear to her, but she would be moving into the home of the enemy.

"May I come in?"

The Queen was standing in the doorway, smiling, despite looking weary.

"Of course" Rey answered

She tried to stand, but her mother gestured for her to remain seated and instead, settled herself on the floor next to her daughter.

"You and I haven't had a chance to speak properly these past few months" The Queen began, looking guilty "But there are some things that I must tell you now as your mother"

Rey watched her mother, unsure of where the conversation was heading

"Rey, I know you haven't even met the Emperor yet, but do you know what happen happens after a man and woman are married?"

An awkward silence proceeded

"I know what happens" Rey assured her mother

Afterwards, her mother seemed hasty to change the subject

"Just think!" She said, trying to appear excited "You'll be moving to Naboo and I heard it's the most beautiful place in the country!"

Rey looked away. He mother reached out and placed her hand on Rey's shoulder

"As the wife of the Emperor, you'll have everything you could possibly want, beautiful clothes and jewels, all kinds of food…"

"No" Rey dissented "I will never be happy…"

"Nonsense!" Her mother interrupted her "I know we didn't plan this, and none of us wanted this, but it has to be done"

"Why mother?" Now Rey's eyes were swimming with tears "Why me?"

The Queen took her daughters face between her shaking hands

"You have to be brave my love, whatever happens. The Gods are with you"

If this was her destiny and if this was what the Gods had planned for her, then Rey would accept it, even unwillingly. She raised herself from the floor and reached over the altar to remove the statue of the Goddess.

"What are you doing?" Her mother asked, confused

"I'm taking her with me"

Her mother's eyes widened

"I don't think you'll be allowed to keep that in the palace of Naboo my dear, our worship is forbidden there"

"I'm taking her with me whether anyone likes it or not" Rey said in a low voice

Her mother sighed. Her daughter always preferred to learn her lessons the hard way.

Jess entered the chamber, and noticing the Queen she bowed her head in greeting.

"Good morning Your Majesty. I think it's time for Rey to get ready"

The Queen stood up, adjusting her skirt.

"I think I would like to help dress my daughter as well Jess, I'll be back in a while" she said, before leaving the room.

Jess waited until she was out of sight before scurrying up to Rey. It was only at this point that she noticed Jess was holding a vial of clear liquid in her hands.

"I was hoping to catch you alone. I want to talk to you" She led Rey away from the door towards a corner

"You know, I have a plan"

"What plan?"

Jess, teary eyed, trembled slightly

"Jess what is it?"

"What if we just sent another girl in your place?" Jess blurted out "he doesn't even know what you look like, he wouldn't even know!"

"No Jess" Rey shook her head "If he ever found out, he would destroy our kingdom out of spite"

"I suppose you're right" Jess agreed, dejectedly "But there's something else"

She held up the vial

"What is it?" Rey asked

"Poison" Jess said simply, in a breathy voice

Rey looked horrified

"What for?"

"It's for us. We can take it with us, just in case something goes wrong. We'll have nowhere else to go and no one to turn to so we can just take this if there's no other way out"

Rey's eyes filled with tears. She reached forward and embraced her dearest friend

"Oh Jess…I hope we never have to do that. We have to be stronger than that!"

Jess sighed and bit her lip "I hope so too. Come, let's get ready"

She got up and rushed across the room to Rey's wardrobe as if she hadn't said anything at all.

* * *

Everyone in the palace, servants and nobility alike, had gathered in the courtyard to see their Princess one last time, before she was handed over to the First Order.

Rey stood alone one last time in the middle of her room. Once her sanctuary, it now felt cold and empty without her belongings. She wanted to cry, but she had cried so much in the past few days that she felt she had no more tears to shed. Jess, who was standing behind her, put a hand on her shoulder.

"Rey, they're waiting. It's time to go"

Reluctantly, Rey let herself be led outside. Her knees almost buckled as she descended the polished sandstone staircase and walked into the waiting crowd. Their Princess was going off to be married, but the mood in the palace was that of a funeral. People knelt at her feet, clasping her hands and crying into them. The wails of her ladies echoed around the high walls. The men stood, silent and somber, hanging their heads.

"Take care Princess!"

"May the Gods be with you!"

"Our prayers are with you!"

Only the young children, who were oblivious to what was going on, clung to her shawl and skirt, chirping happily like little birds all the way to where her palanquin was waiting outside the gates. At the gates, her father and his delegation had already mounted their horses, they waited patiently, and as she boarded her palanquin, her father signaled to the others and they were finally off through the streets of Niima. They were crowded, but silent. No one cried out or wept, they just stared pale faced, as though they were carrying her corpse to be cremated.

As the procession reached the gateway of the Niima fortress, Rey pushed aside her curtains and looked out. She had dreamed of this moment as a child, when she would finally be leaving Jakku to make her future in more lush, greener lands. She lost count of the times as a little girl when she had snuck out of the palace, out of town and raced across the sandy dunes, only to be dragged back inside by her angry, scolding mother. A steady stream of tears began to tumble down her face and onto her lap. She would have given the world to be that little girl again, cursing herself for longing to leave home and now as she sat being carried away into a strange land, she wished more than anything that someone would drag her back home this time too.

* * *

 **The Unknown regions**

"I won't be attending this impure ceremony" General Hux remarked.

He watched on as several troopers raised tents and hung decorations for the Emperors wedding, which was to take place in a few days. Snoke stood beside him, lost is contemplation. He did not like the idea of the Emperor agreeing so readily to the proposals of enemy kingdoms and wondered whether he would be making a habit of it. No doubt, for all their talk of honor and dignity, once the other kingdoms got wind of this new arrangement, their kings would push their daughters on the Emperor as well. Snoke promised himself that he would not allow this to happen again, but King Prana was fortunate indeed.

"Attendance is mandatory" Snoke said to Hux

Hux sniffed

"I shall keep my eyes and ears closed then" He said, his voice filled with contempt "Jakku was supposed to be mine. I would not have given it back like this and agreed to marry a heathen Princess"

"Well, he hasn't exactly given it back. They are still under our rule but King Prana and his people will be allowed to stay as they are" Snoke observed

"But in a few days they will be family to the Emperor and not just his subjects" Hux spat "Can you imagine those parasites overrunning our palace in Naboo?"

Snoke turned to Hux, smiling

"Well, that's why I'm here" He said "to make sure that never happens"

* * *

The King of Jakku, his Queen, daughter and their retinue arrived at the First Order campsite after several days of travel, just as they blazing afternoon sun loomed overhead.

As Rey had hoped, her intended was nowhere in sight when they arrived and as the troopers were raising her tent, she and Jess snuck out to the water well with some clay pots.

"Do you need some help with that Your Highness?"

Rey spun around

"Finn!"

"I saw you arriving just now and wanted to give you my best wishes"

He looked around

"I'm not supposed to be here talking to you like this Your Highness, but I just had to see you. The last time we met I…"

"How did you escape?"

Finn smiled "Ah, that's a secret"

Rey rounded on him, anger in her voice "Do you know what your First Order's done?"

Finn recoiled "I'm truly sorry for what happened to you Princess" and there was sympathy in his voice "But know this, I will help you how ever I can"

Suddenly, they heard footsteps approaching. Finn dove behind a boulder, as one of their Jakku guard appeared.

"Your mother wants to speak with you Princess"

"Tell her I'll be there"

She and Jess picked up their pots and as they left, Rey glanced at the boulder behind which Finn now stood hidden.

* * *

As the day went by, the glare of the sun mellowed and the air cooled. Rey and Jess sat in her tent, sorting out their jewellery when they were interrupted by the sounds of men shouting outside. They peeked through the entrance to see dozens of galloping horses and their horsemen, and inquired from the guard about the source of the commotion.

"It's the Emperor, Your Highness. He has just returned from business at the border"

Rey's heart skipped a beat. Would he ask to see her?

She waited with bated breath for a long time, but soon found out that Kylo Ren had met with her parent's minutes after his arrival, and thankfully, had never asked for her or about her. But there was still an issue Rey needed to get off her chest and one she'd been thinking about for days, ever since her mother had told her she would not be allowed to bring her Goddess into the palace of Naboo. Even though she felt she might be going too far, she plucked up the courage.

And she knew just the person to help her with the job. She called Finn to her.

"Inform the Emperor that I wish to speak with him" Rey told him

"My lady, you may call on the Emperor whenever you wish" Finn replied

Rey raised her eyebrows

"I meant that I want him to come to me" She explained "Can you tell him Finn?"

Finn stared at her, lost for words. He had promised Rey that he would help her with whatever he could but no one had ever 'fetched' the Emperor before. People usually went to him and never the other way around.

Finn left, distracted and apprehensive. When he reached the opening to the Emperor's tent, he hesitated before entering.

Kylo Ren was lying on his couch, legs outstretched and one arm over his head, tired from the day's work.

"Yes, what is it?" He inquired, not opening his eyes.

"Your Majesty" Finn began, unsure whether this was wise "The Princess requests your presence in her tent. She wishes to speak with you"

Kylo Ren opened his eyes

"What?"

Finn faltered, unsure of whether he should leave or remain where he was and face the Emperor's wrath.

"The Princess requests your presence in her tent, Your Majesty" Finn finally continued. He then watched helplessly as the Emperor raised himself from the couch, his face livid.

"And may I know the reason that I am being called to her presence?"

Kylo Ren's voice was steady, but Finn could tell he was almost close to losing his temper.

"I was not given a reason Your Majesty" Finn replied "But I'm sure that…..Your Majesty?"

Kylo Ren had stood up and was now striding out. As he stepped out, he pushed the curtain aside so hard that it struck a tall brass vase nearby, it toppled over and slid across the stony ground.

He marched towards the Princess's tent, his fists clenched, gritting his teeth. He had never forgiven Rey since he had last overheard her talking about him and for her (in his opinion) unfair estimation of him. He also felt that she was in no position to be making any demands. Their marriage was suggested by her own father, King Prana and Kylo Ren had agreed only because of the benefits it would bring to him, she was under no obligation to him, and he was certainly under no obligation to run to her side like a dog whenever she called him. Many bitter thoughts ran through his head as he approached Rey's tent. Her ladies, who were standing outside, scattered like pigeons as he drew near, as if his aura had burned them.

As he entered, he was met with the magnificent sight of many beautiful silk banners that hung along the walls and the floor was covered with exquisite hand woven carpets. Some candles burned in the corner and he caught a whiff of sandalwood, which he assumed was from burning incense. Half of the tent was separated from the other half by some net fabric like a veil, which hung from the ceiling down to the ground. From behind it he could make out the figure of the Princess. The bells that hung around her anklets, tinkled softly as she glided towards him on the opposite side of the veil.

Though they could not see each other, Rey and Kylo were now alone, face to face for the first time as Emperor and Princess.

* * *

Rey got the shock of her life as Kylo Ren burst into her tent, and though he was composed she could almost feel his anger as he stood before her. She had anticipated this reaction from him and therefore knew she had to choose her words carefully so as not to annoy him any further.

He spoke first, his tone firm, his tall figure straightening.

"You asked to see me?"

Rey was momentarily caught off guard by how deep and soft his voice was. She felt as if she recognized it from somewhere.

She took a deep breath

"I cannot find words to express my gratitude to you, for respecting and honoring my request" She said mechanically "I called for your presence to tell you that I will give you my personal consent to this marriage if and only if you are able to meet my conditions"

Kylo Ren sniffed disdainfully

"And what are these…conditions?" he asked

Rey's heart started to beat faster. But she had to speak her mind, for the sake of her own interests.

"My first condition, is that you allow me to keep my faith and follow my customs and traditions after we are married"

As she spoke, her voice was surprisingly steady

"and under no circumstance should I be coerced into conversion"

Her words were met with deathly silence

"Do you accept?" She prompted him, tentatively

"And?" He pressed her in return

"My second and final condition is that I will be allowed to bring the idol of my Goddess with me to Naboo, and that a special shrine and altar be built in my chamber for her. Those are my conditions" She finished hastily.

The silence between them stretched on for what felt like ages to Rey. Neither of them moved or attempted to speak and Rey could not tell what Kylo Ren was thinking or what his expression was, she could only make out the outline of his tall figure on the other side of the veil. Then, without warning he turned on his heels and exited the tent, just as swiftly as he had entered it.

Now Rey was frightened. Why hadn't he said anything? Where did he go?

* * *

King Prana and his delegation were seated around a fire outside the campsite with some First Order officers, discussing the implementation of their rule into the newly acquired kingdom, when one of the footmen announced the Emperor's arrival.

Everyone around the fire sprung to their feet as Kylo Ren advanced on them, and as he stood before them, the firelight reflecting in his dark eyes, he turned to King Prana.

"King Prana, your daughter called me into her tent just now"

King Prana's eyes widened

"Your Majesty, I had no idea..."

But Kylo Ren cut him off

"Your daughter laid before me two conditions for our marriage and said if they weren't met, there would be no wedding" Kylo Ren spoke so that everyone around the fire would hear, his face and tone were impassive

"The first condition, is that I would let her keep her faith and practice her traditions and customs. The second is that I would let her bring an effigy of her goddess into my home and build a shrine for her in her chamber"

King Prana's eyes widened further in horror

"Your Majesty, I will speak with my daughter immediately, I'm sure that…"

Kylo Ren raised his hand, interrupting the King for the second time.

"There is no need, I have made a decision. I greatly value the alliance between your people and mine King Prana and therefore your daughter's conditions are acceptable to me"

A hush fell over the group and the First Order officers exchanged bewildered glances. King Prana and his delegation however, smiled at each other and the King.

"God willing, her demands will be met to her satisfaction" Kylo Ren declared, before bowing his head to King Prana and turning to leave.

* * *

It was only a matter of time before Snoke's spies informed him of what had transpired between Rey and Kylo Ren that evening. The details of the story shook Snoke to his very core. He was outside Kylo Ren's tent in no time, demanding entrance.

The Emperor was at this moment, in his bath, enclosed in a white screen. A manservant was feeding wood to a burning fire nearby to keep the cool night air in the tent warm. Although Snoke could not see him, he was quite sure the Emperor would be able to hear whatever he had to say to him.

"I heard about your decision on the Princess's _conditions_ " He said "I don't know what you were thinking Your Majesty, but do you realize that you have just committed sacrilege?"

Kylo Ren's head snapped around to face him from behind the screen

"How so General?"

"Your Majesty, God has appointed you as his representative on earth. He has entrusted you with the task of upholding our faith as the Emperor of the realm and you have just permitted idolatry and false worship under your roof, in your own home!"

Kylo Ren was silent

"And is it not the custom of a woman to adopt her husband's faith, traditions and customs when she marries?" Snoke continued

"I Know God will understand General. My reasons for agreeing to the Princess's conditions are purely political, I assure you" Kylo Ren asserted

 _Oh, but I'm not quite so sure Your Majesty,_ Snoke thought to himself.

When Snoke left the Emperors tent that night, his mind was on Princess Rey. Was the Emperor about to fulfill her every wish and act on her every whim, purely for political reasons? In Snoke's mind, the Princess's 'conditions' were unreasonable requests and she had no right to be making any stipulations, especially when the Emperor was only doing her father a favor by marrying her. Or was he? What was the Emperor not telling him?

He needed to know more about this Princess Rey.


	9. Chapter 9

****_Thank you to everyone who left comments!I hope you enjoy this chapter and don't hesitate to leave a comment if you have time! :) 3_****

 ** **The Unknown regions****

When Rey was woken by the Queen on the day of her wedding, the air was still cool and the sky was dark. She shivered as her mother helped her out of her clothes and into a warm bath that had been drawn for her by her ladies, all of them bleary eyed and pale faced, swaying gently where they stood waiting on her.

She was informed after she arrived that she would have to do without all the pre-wedding ceremonies and rituals as the Emperor was in a hurry to return to Naboo, but it didn't matter to Rey that she wasn't even allowed a proper wedding. The Emperor's promise to her of letting her follow her traditions meant that their wedding would include all of her own customs as well as his and she was grateful for that at least. She had been surprised to learn of the Emperor's agreement to the conditions she had laid before him for their marriage. She felt as if at least some of the fear and weight had been lifted off her, but she wasn't going to count her blessings just yet, who knew what would happen in the future? She didn't put it past him to go back on his word.

As the first light appeared outside, Rey's tent burst into activity. The servants and her ladies ran in and out carrying messages, fabrics, Jewellery and other ritual items. Outside she could hear the sounds of shuffling feet and loud voices issuing orders and commands. As the water in her bath slowly cooled, and the delicious smell of food being cooked wafted into the tent, Rey wrapped her arms around herself, her stomach grumbling, wishing for it all to end.

Her mother's voice rang out

"Rey, get out of that bath!"

Wrapping herself in a sheet, she crossed over to her bed where her clothes and accessories had been laid out glittering against the plain yellow bedding. The silk banners on the walls were being taken down around her. She wouldn't be returning to this tent tonight.

Her mother seemed to be in a happier mood today, as she slowly raked her fingers through the knots in Rey's hair. She and her father had met regularly with the Emperor and she was increasingly impressed with him, much to Rey's annoyance.

"We'll be seeing your brothers today!" her mother exclaimed "they're going to be released!"

Rey's heart swelled with happiness.

Finally something to look forward to.

* * *

Kylo Ren observed his reflection in the mirror. He hadn't ordered a new outfit for the occasion and had on one of his older ones brought in from Naboo. He was surprised at how drawn he looked and realized deep down that he was actually nervous. But how could he be nervous? And this wasn't even his first wedding, he'd been married many times before and those ceremonies had been much bigger and grander than this one would be. Somehow, this marriage seemed different, or perhaps it was his choice of wife. She was truly unlike any other woman he had ever met before. He touched his throat and the place where she had cut him with her dagger had long since healed, but the memory of the way she had pounced on him like an angry tigress was still fresh in his mind. It both angered and excited him.

"Your Majesty?" One of his grooms called "Is there something wrong? Do you need me to fix something?"

"No no, its fine, don't worry it looks fine" He replied dismissively

He turned around

"When is the ceremony?"

"In another two hours Your Majesty"

"Why that long?"

The groom gulped

"The Princess needs more time to get ready Your Majesty"

Kylo Ren clicked his tongue impatiently. The sooner this was over, the better.

* * *

Snoke watched, impassive and uninterested as the marriage rituals started.

The King and Queen of Jakku led their daughter towards the ceremonial fire and sat her down in front of it beside the Emperor who was staring straight ahead. As the priest performed the rituals, her mother lifted the veil from her face and the First Order officers were able to see the face of their Emperor's new wife for the first time.

Across from Snoke, Hux who had vowed to keep his eyes and ears closed at the wedding, gaped at the Princess. If he had known sooner of her beauty, he wouldn't have given up so easily on Jakku. Now rage bubbled within him, threatening to overflow as he glared at Kylo Ren. The Princess and the kingdom of Jakku were supposed to be his and Kylo Ren had taken that away from him.

Oblivious to the stares of Hux and Snoke, Rey and Kylo Ren faced each other to tie the ceremonial string and Rey looked up to get her first glimpse of her husband.

Her eyes widened.

She recognized his face. He was the man she saw that night when she'd gone to visit Finn in prison. Seeing the shock on her face, his sensuous mouth curved upward in a smile. She looked away from him, thinking that maybe this was some cruel joke and that this wasn't the Emperor and that she was being forced to marry some poor soldier. But deep down she knew he really was who he was and the truth about how Finn had escaped that night, dawned on her.

Even though she had looked away, he was unable to. He had forgotten how beautiful she was and now as she stood before him in her finery as his wife, he drank in her beauty and congratulated himself on his good fortune. Not only was he able to acquire her, but as he watched her, her head hanging low, he believed he had also stamped out her abominable pride which had infuriated him so much that night in Jakku.

As the new couple walked around the fire and promised to uphold their vows, Snoke watched them carefully. He had seen how the Emperor looked at the Princess, it didn't worry him yet, but he made note of it.

Rey looked up and caught his eye. She had heard that Snoke was the Emperor's right hand man and wasn't surprised to find him as terrifying as he was described to her. Taking in his pasty skin, dark, sharp eyes and the numerous battle scars on his face, she shivered before looking away.

As the day wore on, the Emperor and Princess hardly looked at one another and not a single word was spoken between them. They were like strangers at their own wedding. The only time Rey smiled was when she caught sight of her brothers during the banquet that afternoon. As she and her mother ran to them, her older brother held out his arms and Rey jumped into them.

They all seemed well and unharmed, but there was sadness in their eyes.

"I can't believe father did this" her older brother said, hugging Rey "I would never have agreed to this marriage"

"I'm just so glad you're alright" Rey mumbled

"I should have been there. I could've protected you"

Nothing her brothers said could change anything now, but seeing them lifted Rey's spirits.

The celebrations went on late into the night as the troops of both Jakku and the First Order ate and drank to the good health of the Emperor and his wife. Perhaps it was the wine, but the animosity between them seemed forgotten that day and the music and sounds of their laughter carried across the desert as they danced and sang together.

* * *

It was past midnight and the moment Rey had been dreading came too soon. When her ladies escorted her to the Emperor's tent she was almost ready to protest, but felt it would be futile. She kept her beautiful red and gold outfit on and Jess pulled the veil over her head once more before helping her onto the bed. She pulled her knees up to her chin and her skirt flared around her beautifully. Sitting on the center of the bed with the scented roses hanging around her and the rose petals surrounding her, she made for a truly magnificent sight.

Jess pressed something cold into her hand and afterwards she and the others bowed themselves out without a word. When Rey looked down she saw that it was a small silver knife. She quickly hid it in the folds of her skirt. She was determined that if he tried anything on her, she wouldn't be afraid to use it.

She waited for what seemed an eternity, paying attention to every little sound outside the tent, the laughter of drunken men, the chatter of the excited ladies and, slowly, they all died down.

Then, the entrance of the tent fluttered open and with the light cool breeze, he entered. Rey stiffened in her position as she felt his footsteps come closer and closer.

She closed her eyes.

She couldn't see what he was doing or where he was as he didn't make a sound, but moments later her eyes flew open as she felt the bed sink on her right side and knew that he had sat down. She then watched, horrified, as he extended a hand towards her.

He was going to remove her veil

In an instance, Rey had grabbed the silver knife and slashed it across his outstretched hand. A splatter of scarlet stained the white bedclothes as they both jumped away from each other, Rey ripping the veil from her head to face him, eyes burning, teeth bared.

He looked just as furious, holding his bleeding hand in the other, he growled at Rey. In that moment, they looked like two wild animals about to pounce on each other.

"It's treason to attack and draw the blood of the Emperor, Madam!" He snarled through gritted teeth

"I don't want to be touched!" Rey shouted back, her voice shaking

"Oh, I assure you, I have no intention of touching you tonight or any other night hereafter!" He said derisively "I only wanted to get a better look at what I got in exchange for the kingdom I won"

"Well, get a good long look!" Rey screeched

Kylo Ren sniffed, trying to control his anger

"You may have the face of an angel, but you have the temper of a wild boar!" He yelled

"And you're a monster!" Rey spat

Kylo Ren reached down to grab the edge of the bedclothes and wiped his bloody hand on them. Rey watched him, silent, but breathing hard.

At length he spoke

"You know we can stand here and throw insults at each other all night, or we could both get a good night's rest so we can start moving early tomorrow. Which do you prefer?"

"Where will you sleep?" Rey asked quickly

"I'll sleep on the couch" He said.

He had torn off a piece of cloth and was wrapping it around his wounded hand. Rey was still on the defensive, poised, knife in one hand, but as Kylo Ren moved away from the bed, her grip on the knife loosened. She watched as he lay down on the couch, facing away from her.

Tentatively, she climbed back into the bed, stowing the knife underneath her pillow. She didn't want to blow out the bedside lamps and left them burning as they were. Rey thought she'd be too afraid to fall asleep, but as soon as she laid her head down, her eyelids became heavier and heavier and the stress of the past few weeks began to catch up with her.

* * *

Rey felt herself drifting back into consciousness, her sleep disturbed. Even though she tried to open her eyes she couldn't, but she was sure it was still dark. The bed didn't feel quite right. Something hard and wet was moving and pushing up against her bare thigh. She was sure it was under her skirt, she could feel it right up against her skin. At first she thought it might have been the knife, but it felt too big. Not wanting to move her leg, she thought to lift up the sheets to see for herself.

She opened her eyes and almost screamed

Looming over her, half covered in darkness, was Kylo Ren. His eyes glinted from the light of the lamp by her bed; the other had burned out during the night and everything else around the shadowy tent was barely visible.

Rey was paralyzed with terror

"What are you doing?" She whispered, trembling

He breathed in deeply

"Stay still" he hissed "Don't move a muscle"

Then, without warning he swooped down on her, snatching away the sheets and reached up her skirt.

Rey yelped. She couldn't even think properly to reach for her knife. But what happened next and what she saw made her cry out.

As quickly as he had inserted her hand up her skirt, he withdrew it, and in his grasp was the head of a snake.

The Snake which had been still the whole time now began to thrash against Rey's body and in one swift movement Kylo Ren pulled it out from inside her skirt.

She had seen plenty of snakes out in the desert before, but the one Kylo Ren now held in his grasp was the biggest and longest she had ever seen, with diamond shaped patterns along its back. She realized the hard wetness she had felt against her thigh had been the snake's scaly skin.

She had shared her bed with death but had managed to escape unscathed.

Kylo Ren had the snake's head in his strong grasp, its jaws were clamped shut but it was still struggling and spitting venom.

"You poor snake" He murmured, holding it up to his eye level at arm's length "I might have just saved your life"

Rey turned her head to him, listening

"You should really be careful who you crawl into bed with" He continued, still talking to the snake "She may look sweet and innocent, but my wife has a worse bite than any snake alive and enough venom in her to poison an entire kingdom!"

Furious, Rey opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted as a guard burst in through the tent entrance.

"Is everything alright Your Majesty? I thought I heard screaming…"

His eyes fell on Rey, white faced and sitting up on the bed with the covers pulled up to her chin, and then on Kylo who stood beside the bed, a snake in one hand.

To his surprise, Kylo Ren laughed

"Yes yes, its fine" He said, holding up the snake "Put this snake in a sack, take it as far away from the camp as you can and release it"

The guard, unafraid, approached him and after he had left with the snake, Kylo turned back to Rey

"How…how did you know…?" Rey stammered, still in shock

"I'm an emperor" He replied "I'm vigilant even in my sleep"

He lay back down on the couch, watching Rey

"It must have been in the tent for a while and then got into the bed tonight" He said, smirking "If you're too scared to sleep on your own I could join you"

But he already knew what her answer would be

"No, I'm not scared" Rey stated, lying back down against her pillow, watching him.

She curled up into a ball and tried to close her eyes but found herself checking her sheets every moment she could, and as the night wore on she began to wonder what the rest of her life would be like. Despite her initial panic, she almost found herself wishing that the snake had bitten her. Maybe Kylo Ren was arrogant enough to think he had done her a favor by saving her life, but she felt it would have put her out of her misery and saved her the trouble of the difficult years she saw ahead for herself.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Soooo finally got to updating this! and I've set a record too! this is the longest time I've gone without updating since I started writing this fic!**_  
 _ **I probably won't be updating as frequently as I used to...I've got some busy weeks ahead.**_

 **The Unknown regions**

When Rey noticed the empty couch that morning, she breathed a sigh of relief. She was glad she didn't have to wake up to the visage of Kylo Ren.

"Where's the Emperor?" She asked one of her maids, pretending to be uninterested

"He's out riding, Your Highness" answered the girl

Mistaking the look of concern on Rey's face as disappointment, she quickly added

"He left early just as the sun was up, but I'm sure he will join you before breakfast"

She smiled

Rey wished he'd stay away forever, but at least now she didn't feel the need to protect herself from him. He would never touch her. The events of the night before felt like a dream she'd rather forget and at that moment she was more worried about the long journey to Naboo. Her parents would be returning home to Jakku along with their entire retinue but Rey was allowed to keep a few of her own maids and Jess would accompany her.

She dreaded watching her parents leave. She had never spent a single day away from them in her life.

When she met them that morning, they seemed in good spirits and her mother pulled her in for a hug before taking her face between her hands and searching her eyes.

"How is he?" she asked

"Considerate" Rey replied dispassionately

Her mother smiled "That's good"

Around them, troopers were clearing up and dismantling tents, putting out fires and collecting their weapons. They would all be going home after a long time.

As they arrived at the breakfast tent, Rey saw that Kylo Ren was already seated at the table, waiting for them. He signaled for Rey to sit on his left, and the King and Queen on his right and they complied. Snoke was there as well, seated on the other end of the table opposite the Emperor. It took him a while to notice the injury on Kylo Ren's hand.

"Your Majesty, what happened?" he asked, pointing

Kylo Ren lifted up his bandaged hand

"Oh, it's nothing General. My wife and I had quite the experience last night and things just got a little bit rough"

Rey's felt the heat rising up her neck and face. In front of my parents? How could he?

Laughter echoed around the table and some of the officers seated with them tried to hide or stifle their amusement for fear of disrespecting the Emperor, but Kylo Ren laughed with them.

Sure that everyone would notice her blushing, Rey bent her head lower over her gold plate and concentrated on her food. Kylo Ren watched her, a thin smile on his lips, enjoying her apparent embarrassment before returning to his own plate. He had some difficulty eating, hampered by his injured hand which Rey did not fail to notice. She couldn't help but thank herself inwardly for causing the injury.

They both got their vengeance as they sat taking pleasure in each other's discomforts.

Snoke meanwhile watched them both wearily. It didn't take him long to guess what had really happened to the Emperor's hand. The last person who had attacked the Emperor and injured him was later impaled on a stake, what had changed now?

Something was off.

* * *

"Write to me" Rey said, her voice shaking as her mother enveloped her in her arms

"I will. And Remember" her mother implored "he's your husband now, his home is your home. Things will change, I promise. You'll both learn to get along"

Her parents didn't stay long into the morning and Rey watched, teary eyed and heart pounding as they rode away into the desert disappearing out of sight. Her mother had sobbed, but her father's farewell to her was rather stilted, he thought the longer he stayed and the more emotional he became, the harder it would be for him to let go.

At the sound of hooves behind her, Rey turned and saw that Kylo Ren had already mounted his horse and was riding towards her.

"It's time to go" he said. This time his voice was gentle and Rey couldn't help but look at him in surprise.

"I know what it feels like" he murmured, but Rey didn't hear him. She turned her head and continued to stare into the distance.

He gazed down at her silently, watching her chest heave as she tried to suppress her tears and sobs.

"There's a sandstorm coming through here, we have to move fast" He finally broke the silence, this time in a louder, firmer voice.

* * *

 **Naboo**

"Who is the Princess?" the Dowager Empress Leia Organa asked the First Order officer who had come to deliver the news.

"Princess Rey, of Jakku Your Majesty" The officer answered

"Princess of Jakku?" Leia's brows creased "I had no idea the the King of Jakku had a daughter"

"The Emperor has married her Your Majesty"

He waited to observe her reaction, but Leia continued to frown.

"I was not informed of a marriage" She said quietly "I was not even aware of the attack on Jakku"

Although she rarely saw her son, Leia had been at all of his weddings, but she wondered who this latest conquest was and why her son had been in such a hurry to marry her.

"Your Majesty, they will be arriving soon and the Emperor wants you to be there to greet her. He also sent instructions on preparing her chambers"

The officer handed her a roll of paper, a letter addressed to her with her son's signature. She took it and read it, her frown becoming more and more prominent.

"I shall have to speak to Phasma about her living arrangements" Leia decided "This isn't something that I can handle on my own by the looks of it"

* * *

Rey fell asleep partway through the journey and when she woke again, it was to the noise of the whistling and singing of the troops.

They were home.

A strange chill swept over Rey as she pulled her shawls closer to her. She had never felt this cold in her entire life and parting the curtains of her palanquin, leaned outside to see where they were. Her mouth opened in shock.

Everywhere she looked there was green. The ground beneath them was green and there were actual trees and not a grain of sand to be seen.

They were passing a meadow now, and it was speckled with flowers of all shapes and colors, many many pretty colors. For a moment, Rey forgot her grief and all she wanted to do was to run out into that meadow barefoot and roll around in that grass.

"Is something wrong my lady?"

It was Finn, who rode towards her quickly, noticing the expression on her face

Rey managed to find her voice

"I never knew there was this much green in the whole world" She croaked, almost in tears

Finn laughed

"And you'll see plenty more of it too"

A butterfly flew past Rey, making her squeal with delight

"And more of them as well!" Finn laughed, observing Rey's reaction to the common mundane things that he usually took for granted.

* * *

As the Emperor had instructed, Leia gathered some of the ladies and wives of the Harem to welcome the newest member of the household. Hearing that the Emperor would not accompany his new wife into the harem, most of the women came reluctantly, some didn't show up at all leaving Leia and a small group huddled together near the gate. She herself was too preoccupied with thoughts of what her new daughter-in-law might be like to care that there was no proper welcome planned for her.

"They're here" She breathed, as the tall gates of the harem opened and the procession escorting the Princess stopped in front of it.

To her surprise, Leia watched her son ride through the gates and jump down from his horse.

His eyes narrowed

"Where is everyone?" he inquired sharply "I thought I specifically asked for a welcome"

Leia swallowed

"I did ask for…we thought you weren't coming..."

"Is it too much for me to ask that my wives be present to greet me after I've being away from home for months?" Kylo Ren growled.

"I.." Leia stuttered

She didn't notice the young woman who had risen out of the large red and gold palanquin and now stood a little way from her.

Kylo Ren sighed, and held out an arm

The young woman walked forward into Leia's line of vision and she came face to face with her new daughter-in-law

Rey put her hands together in greeting

Leia looked into her eyes and then took Rey's face in her hands and kissed her forehead

"Welcome" She said

For the first time, Rey smiled. She was relieved to see the kind face of her mother-in-law and she somehow felt as though she were in the presence of her own mother, with the way Leia was looking at her and holding her face tenderly in her hands.

"Well then, I have urgent business to take care of" Kylo broke the silence between them "You can show her to her room's mother"

"Of course" Leia said, smiling at the pretty young woman "I'll make sure she has everything she needs"

* * *

As the servants carried in her things, Rey explored her new rooms. The Emperor's mother was very different from what she had expected. She'd thought perhaps the Dowager Empress would be someone cold, unfeeling and cruel like the Emperor, but Rey was both relieved and glad to see that she seemed a caring person. But that first time she looked into Leia's eyes, she thought she was looking into the eyes of Kylo Ren and she realized that they both had the same soft brown color.

"What do you think of your new rooms?"

Rey spun around to face Leia Organa, who now stood in the doorway

"I like them" Rey answered her. The rooms were indeed beautiful, spacious and tastefully decorated. There was a mural on the wall opposite Rey's bed, depicting a deer and his doe, grazing in a field, and the ceilings were high and also painted. It was grander than Rey could have ever imagined, and her room in Jakku paled in comparison.

She gestured towards the special shrine that had been built for her, to keep her Goddess and to perform her rituals.

"Thank you for that"

Leia shook her head

"You should be thanking the Emperor. But I admit I was surprised when I heard how easily he gave in to your demands"

Rey shrugged

"I was forced into this marriage. I was just looking out for my own interests and I'm glad he agreed"

Leia watched her silently as she spoke, her eyes filled with pity.

"Well, you are brave" She proclaimed, placing a hand on her shoulder.

She wanted to take the poor girl in her arms, and comfort her, but wasn't sure how she would react to a stranger's embrace. But Leia didn't want them to be strangers for long. There was something about this girl that drew her in and she was sure she would be different from the Emperor's other wives. Even then, Leia knew that the girl considered them enemies, enemies who had killed her fiancée and seized her kingdom, but she had no control over her son's action, just as she had no control over whatever Rey's opinions of her might be. Despite her reservations, she had to try.

"Rey" she began, swallowing "I would like you and me to be friends"

Leia's eyes were hopeful and Rey smiled, unsure of herself. She already respected the Dowager Empress greatly, but she hardly knew her and had to keep reminding herself that she was now in the home of the enemy and that no one here was to be trusted so easily.

"I should like a friend…" Rey said, hesitantly

Leia beamed

"Just remember, should you need anything, I'll always be here for you, even if it's just to talk"

Just then, Jess entered and stopped dead in her tracks, spotting Leia. She bowed deeply.

"I should go, I see I'm disrupting you" Leia uttered and left the room

Jess frowned

"What did she want?"

"To be friends" Rey said simply

Jess sniffed disdainfully

"I hope you didn't fall for that act!"

Irritated, Rey flung her shawl at her

"We can't shut ourselves away forever feeling sorry for ourselves Jess!" She reasoned "A friendship with the Dowager Empress of the First Order could prove useful in the future. Just think about it!"

Jess sighed "I suppose your right. We really are in a hopeless position right now, aren't we?"

Rey looked at Jess, her best friend in the whole world. She didn't know what she would do without her

"Jess, you know, you don't have to do this"

Jess looked at her, puzzled

"Do what?"

"You don't have to stay here with me. This is my burden to bear and I don't want to drag you down with me"

Jess's eyes filled with tears

"If you're thinking about sending me away then don't you dare!" She cried

"No, I don't want to do that" Rey explained "I'll be selfish and say I want you to stay, but I don't want you to stay if you don't want to. I couldn't do that to you"

Jess reached forward and hugged Rey, burying her face in the crook of her neck

"I'm staying whether you like it or not" she said through her tears

* * *

Rey did not notice Kylo Ren immediately as he barged into her room without warning the next morning. It was a surprise to her as she didn't expect him to want to come anywhere near her after the incident on their wedding night.

"Please take off your shoes when you come into my room" Rey insisted, pointing to the shrine of the Goddess in the corner.

A muscle in Kylo Ren's jaw twitched and Rey thought he might protest, but slowly, he walked back to the doorway and removed his slippers.

Rey was still in the process of unpacking her belongings and the room was crowded with boxes and trunks. All her clothes and jewellery had been laid out on the couch, chairs and stools and Kylo Ren, looking for a place to sit, finally settled himself on Rey's bed.

"May I know what it is that I've done to warrant the pleasure of your company?" Rey asked, stooping to pick up a fallen blanket.

Kylo Ren's eyes followed the curve of her waist as she bent down and stood up again.

He smiled. The sarcastic tone of her voice did not escape him.

"Don't worry, this will probably be the last time I step foot in this room" He replied looking around "Well, my mother certainly did a good job of choosing and preparing this room for you, it's one of the best in the harem"

Rey's eyes rose to meet his "Your mother certainly is kind and generous"

"It's also close to my own chambers"

"What?" Rey uttered, confused

"Your rooms, these rooms are close to my chambers" He repeated, running a hand through his wavy, dark hair.

Rey turned away

Kylo Ren stood up

"I only came to tell you that if you need assistance settling in, you can consult my mother or my first wife, Phasma"

"Thank you" Rey said, coldly

"And we need not set eyes on each other ever again after this"

"Good" Rey muttered under her breath

He hesitated slightly, staring at the back of her head, then without a word, he turned and left.

Rey let out a sigh of relief. She would survive this somehow.

 _ **Hope you enjoyed that!**_

 _ **Don't forget to review ;)**_


	11. Chapter 11

**Naboo**

As her servants prepared for the Emperor's arrival, Phasma lay on her stomach atop her large and magnificent bed, shouting instructions as several of her maids wondered in and out in a frenzy, clearing away, sweeping and arranging her room. One of the maids scattered rose petals with one hand over the bed while simultaneously trying to light five candles with the other.

Phasma enjoyed this chaos.

"Hurry!" She called out as she brushed rose petals out of her hair "He'll be here soon!"

Kylo Ren had not come to her chambers last night on the day he arrived. Phasma realized what her mistake was then and why he was avoiding her. She was no fool, so she would face him calmly and confidently. A message was immediately sent the morning after and to her relief, the messenger returned with a reply. As Phasma rolled over on the bed, basking in the soft, warm glow of the beam of morning sunlight that was streaming onto her bed through the open doors of her balcony, her mind worked, trying to find an excuse for not being present at the presentation of the Emperor's new wife.

"Good morning" A deep voice came from her doorway.

Phasma whirled around to face her Emperor, her husband

The moment their eyes met, she knew he was still in a bad mood. Phasma beamed however and leaping out of bed waved away the servants without taking her eyes from his face. Once they were alone, she flung her arms around his neck and pulled him towards the bed, whispering softly into his ear.

"I was expecting you..." She crooned. But Kylo was already extricating himself from her tight grip.

"Where were you yesterday afternoon?" He hissed, his expression, dangerous. But Phasma remained undeterred. She was far too used to the emperor's outbursts and knew how to manage his short temper and mood swings with indulgence and clever understanding. The number one rule for a wife of the Emperor was that you never confront or argue with him and nobody knew how to handle him better than Phasma.

"Your Majesty, did you sleep well?" She asked in a low, sensual voice, leaning in to kiss his cheek "How are you this morning?"

"I specifically ordered everyone to wait for me at the entrance when I arrived" Kylo growled "Do you know how humiliating it was when I had to bring my new bride home to a poor reception?"

Phasma smiled

"You never told me that you were getting married" She said cheerfully

"I'm not required to tell you everything" he snapped back

Phasma pouted

"I thought we were best friends…"

"But you don't get to question me" There was a warning in Kylo's voice "I will do as I please and you should do as I say"

Kylo turned away from her

"Make sure this never happens again"

And Phasma knew she was safe this time. Tentatively, she reached for his hand and he didn't brush her off this time as she continued to lead him to her bed.

"So, how is the new wife?" She asked as they both sat down and he bent forward to lay his head down on her lap. Slowly, she raked her hands through his soft way hair and he closed his eyes, relishing the feel of them.

"She's fine"

"She'll be a difficult one"

Kylo Ren's eyes snapped open

"Why do you say that?"

"A woman making demands of a man even before they are married is never a good sign" She continued "And when the man gives into her every whim that is an even worse sign"

Kylo sighed deeply. Everyone in the kingdom was by now aware of the 'conditions' that Princess Rey had laid before him before their wedding. No one had dared question him about it except for Snoke and Phasma. He could have just told her then to hold her tongue, but he felt an overwhelming need to explain himself.

"I had to do it for political reasons" He explained

"Ah, I see"

Phasma was more curious about this new wife than she cared to admit so she continued to press the subject until Kylo became irritated with her line of questioning

"Do you like her? Is she pretty?"

"I don't want to talk about her" He said in an exasperated voice, lifting his head off Phasma's lap. "If you called me here to interrogate me then I think I would rather leave now…"

"No no….lets not talk about her" Phasma pushed him down onto the bed, whispering into his ear "This is our day"

Then she kissed him.

But Princess Rey of Jakku wouldn't leave Phasma's thoughts.

...

Rey tried her best to make herself at home.

Even though she had all the material comforts that a young woman in her situation could hope for, she felt alone. A few of the wives and women had come to welcome her with gifts of jewellery, clothes and food but none of them had been particularly friendly or excited to see her. Rey supposed that they were curious to get a glimpse of the new wife as she never heard from any of them again during the course of the next few days.

Rey and Jess were sitting on Rey's bed, legs crossed, facing each other when Rey confessed her sadness to Jess.

"You have me. I'm still here!" Jess exclaimed, throwing her arms out

Rey smiled at her beloved friend

"And I don't need anyone else" She assured Jess "not when I've got you. But Jess…can you imagine us living like this for the rest of our lives?"

Jess sighed "No…that wouldn't be possible. But we can't just give up on trying to make a life of our own here"

"I suppose you're right" Rey muttered, looking down at her clasped hands and tried to reason with herself "It's not so bad here...I mean…the Dowager Empress seems nice and it looks like the Emperor will leave me alone from now on"

"That's the spirit!" Jess encouraged her, sitting up straight.

And they both smiled at each other.

Then Jess bit her lip

"You know Rey, we might not be totally alone and unallied here" she said in a whisper, leaning down again.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I got a chance to walk around Naboo city yesterday with Finn, and there are many people of our faith living here"

Rey's eyes widened

"And there's even a temple!" Jess continued

"But, I thought…it wasn't allowed…" Rey said in confusion

"Only inside the palace" Jess interrupted "Apparently the Emperor's grandfather, Anakin Skywalker had allowed followers of other faiths to build their own places of worship in Naboo"

Rey looked on in shock "I never knew that" and this was indeed new information to Rey. The fact that the evil, murderous Skywalker clan had been tolerant of other faiths was unexpected news to her.

"And you'll never believe this" Jess continued, eyes brightening "The reason for the late Emperor's great tolerance was because of his wife, Padme Amidala"

"His wife…" Rey breathed

"Yes Rey" Jess reached out to grip her arm "Rey, she was one of us…she was of our faith"

Before Rey could react properly to this extraordinary news, they were interrupted by the entrance of a messenger, a young woman bearing two scrolls.

"My lady" She said, bowing low "I was instructed to deliver both of these messages to you"

Jess dismissed the girl as she unrolled the first scroll.

"Um, Rey" She muttered, not taking her eyes off the paper "this one is from the Emperor's first wife, Phasma. She requests your presence in her room immediately"

Rey sighed. So, the Emperor's beloved first wife was finally acknowledging her existence.

Jess was already unrolling the second scroll

"Oh" Jess uttered, taken aback "This one is from Maz Kanata. She wants to meet you outside the palace today"

"Maz Kanata?"

Rey frowned "the soothsayer? What's she doing here?"

"I don't know about that, but I'll have to get permission from the Dowager Emperess if you have to leave the palace for this one"

"Yes" Rey agreed, rising quickly and walking towards her full length mirror to prepare herself. "You can do that while I meet with the Emperor's wife"

Behind her, Jess let out a laugh

"Looks like the Goddess has answered your prayer" she said "You're a popular girl today, Rey'

...

Rey made her way alone down the garden path towards the left wing of the harem where Phasma's chambers were located.

She had never seen this woman before, but was told that she was the first and favorite wife of the Emperor and sat on his right hand side on a special golden throne of her own during special functions. Phasma had not been present the day she had arrived at the harem. Perhaps she thought it was beneath her to come meet Rey in person. She hadn't even bothered to send a message of greeting, but Rey didn't care, really, she didn't. She didn't have a good opinion of any of the Emperor's wives and she supposed Phasma would be no different.

The Emperor's favorite wife was reclining on a couch, smoking a hukka as Rey was admitted entrance into her beautiful private chambers. She noted that it was much more spacious and comfortable than her own apartment. But the emperor's right hand must have only the best.

As Rey stood before her and bowed in silent greeting, Phasma gestured to a low stool near her.

"Please, sit"

Rey eyed it with hesitation and then ultimately decided that she would rather speak to Phasma looking down on her than up.

"No, thank you" she replied coldly

Phasma shrugged her shoulders "suit yourself"

Taking a long drag from the hukka, she blew the smoke in Rey's direction.

Rey did not flinch

At length, Phasma spoke

"You must forgive me for not greeting you at the gates" but she sounded neither apologetic nor regretful.

"I've never personally welcomed any of the new wives before, but this time I wanted to make an exception"

She waited, perhaps hoping for a sign of gratitude from Rey, but still, Rey did not speak. Phasma wondered if this new wife was mute and as the silence between them dragged on, she gazed at Rey questioningly.

"What do you think of the Emperor? Do his attentions please you?" Phasma asked abruptly

"Attentions?" Rey blurted out. Her voice much deeper and stronger than Phasma had expected.

"Yes" Phasma said simply "He's been rather attentive to you, let's talk about that"

Rey frowned, surely there had to be a better reason Phasma had called her here.

She watched disapprovingly as Phasma took another long drag from the hukka before turning her bright and curious gaze again to Rey.

"You know, the Emperor is the most powerful man in the country. There are women like you who would kill for a chance to be his wife"

"Women like me?" Rey said, her eyes narrowing

"Yes…women like you. Princesses from impoverished kingdoms" Phasma continued

"I beg your pardon my lady" Rey said slowly "But I don't know what you mean at all"

Of course Phasma had called her here to mock and bully her. This was not meant to be a friendly meeting.

Phasma chortled

"You know, our Emperor is the most desirable man in the country, he only needs to glance at a woman once and he leaves them breathless with desire" her eyes were fixed on Rey, gauging her reaction and Rey was sure whatever Phasma was smoking in that hukka was having some sort adverse effect on her mind.

"But he's never fallen for them. He uses them and then he always comes back to me" Phasma pressed on as though she were trying to assure herself with her own words "That's how it's always been between us"

Rey managed a smile

"My lady, I would never dream of coming between you and your Emperor" She said "And you can comfort yourself with the knowledge that I would rather him not come near me at all"

Phasma rose from the couch, sitting upright so that her shawls fell around her, revealing her strong pale limbs and richly embroidered blouse.

She leaned towards Rey

"Any woman who attempts to make him fall in love with her will be very disappointed…" She added "The Emperor will never fall in love. He is immune to love"

Rey almost let out a laugh at the ridiculousness of that statement. No one was immune to love in her experience. But then she remembered this was Kylo Ren they were talking about.

"You can keep your Emperor. Like I said before, I don't want him"

"Are you sure?" Phasma seemed pleased

Rey frowned

"I can assure you, nothing your Emperor has done has left _me_ trembling with desire" Rey answered

Phasma tilted her head, carefully considering the woman standing before her "He was right…you _are_ foolish" She said quietly "and conceited"

Rey was getting tired of standing there and being inspected like a piece of meat

"I have an appointment" she said "I have to go…"

"There's one more thing" Phasma interrupted her, holding out a gilded arm. When she next spoke, her tone was very different.

"I would love for us to be friends Rey"

And it was as though the whole conversation before had never happened.

Rey raised her eyebrows.

"I'm sure you and I will be great friends" Phasma stressed the word 'friends' as though to send a message. "If you stay on my good side there will be many rewards. Valuable rewards"

"Such as?..."

"The Emperor's favor"

Rey snorted "I told you, I don't want it"

"Fine" Phasma replied "You may leave"

Just as Rey turned to leave, Phasma spoke once more.

"Another thing Rey" This time there was no trace of friendliness in her voice

"You will treat me with more respect in the future"

Rey gritted her teeth. _The nerve of this woman_ she thought to herself. _She looks down on me and treats me like dirt and then expects me to respect her? I am a Princess of Jakku, a noble and ancient kingdom…and this woman, with no title, is just a wife of a usurper with no real claim to any of the land he steals from their rightful rulers._

She tried to remain calm however and holding her head high said in an imperious voice

"To be shown proper respect, one must earn it first"

With that she left the room, leaving Phasma livid and speechless.

...

Phasma knew she would be doing the Emperor a favor when she called her favorite serving girl to her presence. She had tried and failed to get rid of her feelings of anger and suspicion towards the Emperor's new wife ever since their disastrous meeting that day. There was something about her that Phasma found unbearable and she was sure she was hiding something. Besides, nobody had ever spoken to Phasma in that way, ever, so she was going to teach the little Princess a lesson. She was going to show her how insignificant she was and she would make a lesson out of her for the entire Harem. Nobody refused Phasma and nobody would dare speak down to her again.

The cunning, clever and faithful Khema appeared and bowed before her mistress.

"Khema, I have a job for you" Phasma said, looking intently at the girl "It's a very special job and it's going to be our little secret. Am I clear on that?"

The girl smiled and bowed again

"Yes my lady"

"Good, because no one else must know of this and you.." Phasma pointed to her "You will be rewarded"

Khema was more than willing "I'm happy to serve you, my lady"

Phasma leaned back on her couch and took a sip of wine from her golden cup.

"From now on, you and I will work as a team because we have an important job to do. There's an enemy in our palace"

...

"I'm too old for this" Maz Kanata muttered to herself as she lowered herself onto the dusty pavement outside the palace gates. Her limbs ached and her head was spinning. She had made the weeks long journey from Jakku to Naboo by herself and most of it on foot. She only knew that she had to meet with Princess Rey and that was her only goal now.

She wasn't sure that the Princess would bother to come out to meet her. What if her mother had told her of what Maz had predicted for her future on her birthday? Was she as angry at her as the Queen was? Whatever she may be feeling, nothing had stopped fate. She was now the wife of the ruthless Emperor and there was nothing Maz could have done or said to prevent it from happening. There is no remedy for fate after all.

But Maz was surprised when the Princess did actually arrive, accompanied by her friend and companion, Jess.

"Princess…I meant to speak to you on your birthday, but you were…" She began to speak as she rose to greet Rey.

"No no please" Rey placed a hand on the old woman's shoulder "please sit down"

She and Jess both settled themselves on either side of the older woman on the pavement.

Maz Kanata sighed "Princess, I just wanted to see you"

"My mother told me that she would be calling a soothsayer to the palace on my birthday, but I couldn't be there...I was at the temple and…" Rey and Jess exchanged nervous glances. They knew they were not allowed to speak of what had happened that day.

But Maz already knew. She had predicted it after all. But the young women were not aware of this.

"I'm so sorry Maz…I think my mother forgot all about your visit in the confusion of that day. She never told me that you came"

Maz sighed heavily again. She wasn't going to tell the young Princess exactly what she'd told her mother the queen. But she hadn't said everything she needed to on that day.

"My dear Princess, listen to me. Within these next few years, there will be conflict and unrest in this country…"

"And I've been forced into marriage with the man who's causing it!" Rey cried

"I know you didn't want this" Maz said, looking sadly at Rey "Your fate may be written but you still do have the choice to leave this place if that is what you wish"

Rey blinked at the old woman, hope rising in her chest.

"You mean, I can leave my marriage if I wish to?"

"When the time is right, you will know" Maz continued "but there is something else you should know too. You are the key to all this"

"What?" Jess uttered "the key to what?"

Maz closed her eyes

"Balance"

Rey and Jess looked on in confusion.

"You may feel like all hope is lost Princess" Maz spoke again, opening her eyes "But the Goddess always has a plan, she will show you the way but you must make the choice yourself"

Rey gritted her teeth

"Are you saying that I have to be the one to kill the Emperor? If that's what you're saying, I can do it. I can die trying" There was a determination in Rey's voice

Maz turned her whole body around to face Rey and looked straight into her eyes.

"I can't tell you the way" Maz said, her voice quivering "You will know what you must do when the time is right"

The three of them remained silent for a while until Maz spoke again

"I remember many decades ago…the planets were in a similar alignment to which they are now….but everything went wrong. Horribly wrong. We were there, almost there…"

Neither Rey nor Jess had any idea of what the old woman was talking about. But now, Rey felt as though she had a purpose. Now she knew that she didn't exist merely to be swept along with the tide. She had a vital role in this power play between kingdoms. She just needed to be patient and bide her time to find out what it was that the Gods required of her.

...

Khema wandered along the halls of the east wing of the Harem, looking for the perfect opportunity. She had done some snooping around and had been informed that the Emperor's new wife, along with her companion had gone out of the palace and would not be back for an hour or two.

And this was the perfect opportunity

With Phasma's words about duty and loyalty still ringing in her ears she quietly slipped into Princess Rey's bed chamber.

It had been lightly and tastefully decorated, unlike the rooms of some of the other wives with nothing showy or gaudy. In one corner was the alcove in which stood the serene faced idol of the Princess's Goddess. A stick of incense burned at her feet, filling the room with a subtle jasmine fragrance. Khema made a face and turned her back on it, somehow even more motivated to find any sign of the Princesses treachery.

She was determined not to disappoint Phasma.

After a few minutes of rummaging through a pile of bedclothes, her attention was drawn to a large chest that had been pushed under the bed. Summoning all of her strength, she pulled the chest out and towards her. It was a pretty thing and heavy because of the wood and iron fastenings but Khema wasn't here to admire the beauty of Princess Rey's belongings. When she opened it, it was empty except for some blank parchment scrolls. Khema clicked her tongue

 _Maybe not today_ she thought to herself _but I'll watch them carefully_

And just as she was about to close the lid, something caught her eye, something conspicuous. She reached for it and her fingers wrapped around something cold and hard. When she pulled it out, she saw that it was a glass vial filled with a clear liquid and sealed shut with wax.

As she stared at it, it lay there, innocently in her palm, until….realization dawned on her and recognition flashed in her eyes as they widened in horror. She knew what this was. She had seen a vial just like this before in the frozen hands of a maid who was found dead about a year ago, floating in the large pond in the main gardens.

 _Oh, the great lady would be very interested in this_ she thought to herself as she hid the little vial in the little cloth bag that hung from her waist. Then she pushed the chest back underneath the bed and scanned the room one more time before creeping back outside.

 _Not bad for my first day_ She thought to herself, smiling.


	12. Chapter 12

**Naboo**

Even though she'd had no power or influence in the Empire for over twelve years, the Dowager Empress Leia Organa was never idle. She made it her business to know what the likes of Snoke and General Hux were up to every day and thankfully, there were still some among the older politicians and ranks who were loyal to her. They were the ones who had ridden into battle at her husband's side and had been devoted to him and to their cause till his dying day. Also, Leia Organa had many spies of her own. She knew she was being watched by Snoke. Snoke, who was no doubt whispering lies in her son's ears to try to turn him against her and every second that Snoke stood by his side, was a second where he lost a part of his humanity.

If she was caught, she could be charged with treason and sentenced to death. But that was not a prospect that frightened or deterred her, for she was no stranger to plotting and bringing empires to their knees.

That was how she had earned her throne in the first place.

Memories of the old glory days haunted her dreams. Sometimes she would dream of Han and Luke, sometimes she would see her son as a baby, his little pink mouth splitting into a wide grin, his chubby arms reaching out to her. She wished she had hugged and kissed him more, held him more…been there for him.

She shook her head. _There's no one to blame, no one to blame but Snoke_ She thought.

Leia was deep in thought and that was how Rey found her during her daily walk around the palace one morning. She stood, unmoving at the top of the stone staircase that lead down from the entrance of the harem to the garden, her arms crossed, just as Rey was reaching the bottom.

She bowed her head in greeting "Good morning, Your Majesty"

To which Leia replied "Rey, come and walk with me"

It was a cloudy morning so the sun's rays weren't falling on them as harshly and the air was crisp and fresh. Rey's favorite part of walking in the garden every day was listening to the chirping and singing of the variety of birds and as she and Leia strolled by, the garden seemed alive with their music. A beautiful butterfly fluttered around them, making them stop in their tracks.

"Ben used to love chasing butterflies when he was little. He took his very first steps trying to chase one in this very garden" Leia sighed wearily "He was such a lovely little boy"

Rey tried to imagine the Emperor as a baby, his dark hair bouncing and brown eyes shining, toddling after butterflies; the image was quite endearing, but she shook it from her thoughts. She turned to look at the woman walking beside her and felt the urge to know more about her. _Who was she? How did she come to be here?_

"Your Majesty…"

"Please, you may call me 'mother'" Leia said, smiling at Rey

"Mother…" Rey began tentatively "I just wanted to say…you're nothing like I expected"

"Ah, and what exactly did you expect, Princess?"

Rey shrugged "It's just that you're so different from your…" she stopped mid-sentence and was suddenly unable to meet Leia's eyes, but Leia knew what she was about to say.

She reached out to take Rey's hand.

"I know the man my son has become …but he wasn't always like this…" she said, her expression hardening.

Rey knew this was a mother speaking of her son. Months ago, she had stood at the altar of her Goddess in her temple and swore vengeance by bringing forth the head of Kylo Ren. A feeling of something close to shame and pity washed over her as she now stood in front of his grieving mother. Moreover, Rey realized she knew nothing about the Skywalker family beyond hearsay and tales of their accomplishments on the battlefield. As she carefully watched Leia wiping away her tears with her shawl, she knew there had to be more to them than those stories of violence.

Leia seemed more than eager to feed Rey's curiosity about the family and Empire that she was now a part of. It was as though she had been waiting forever to talk about it. She had never felt such a personal connection to anyone in years and was already very fond of the bright-eyed Princess of Jakku. Rey, in turn, was proving to be a keen listener.

"My family has quite humble beginnings for a royal family" Leia began "My father, Anakin Skywalker was the illegitimate son of the old King of Tatooine, Darth Plageuis. My grandmother was a palace slave"

"So _you're_ the Skywalker?!" Rey cried "Not the late Emperor?"

"Yes, I am the Skywalker, not my husband" Leia chuckled darkly "But my husband fit right in with us. He had the right temperament"

Rey could not take her eyes off Leia as she continued her tale

"The old King of Tatooine and his Queen were childless, so the King allowed my father and grandmother to live in his palace. It is said that he loved my father and raised him like a true Prince"

They turned a corner on the pathway.

"It was the old King's wish that after his death, his only son would succeed him on the throne. But before he could properly legitimize my father and his claim to the throne, the King died"

"So what happened? Your father became King didn't he?" Rey looked at Leia beseechingly, greedy for the rest of the story. She was a great lover of stories.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, he did," Leia said "but it wasn't an easy road. The old King's Queen took the throne because the nobility of the kingdom refused to accept an illegitimate son as their King"

Leia paused to give a sigh before continuing "The Queen was a jealous woman. She had my grandmother murdered in her sleep. That was the last straw for my father"

Rey gasped

"My father was only nineteen years old at the time" Leia looked at Rey "And with the help of his late father's advisor, my own father staged a coup on the palace and avenged my grandmother. He beheaded the Queen with his great sword and claimed his throne"

"Dowager Em-….mother" Rey began "I didn't know that your family was originally from Tatooine. How did you come here?"

Leia smiled, gesturing towards a small bench under a beautiful flowering tree where she and Rey sat down.

"Well, Naboo is my mother's home. She became Queen here when she was only thirteen years old and my father fell in love with her the moment he set eyes on her…well, at least that's how the story goes"

"Padme Amidala?" Rey whispered

"I see you know her name"

"is it…is it true she was…one of us?"

Leia regarded Rey before answering

"Yes"

Rey grinned

"Well then, you must be familiar with our customs," she said brightly

Leia looked down

"I never knew my mother Rey; she died when my brother and I were born. I never really knew either of my parents" she said sadly "My father could barely look at us. I think he blamed us for our mother's death. I was told that he became a completely different man after she died and even changed his name"

A gust of wind blew in their direction and thousands of flower petals and leaves rained down on them. But Rey's mind was too distracted to enjoy the beauty of the scenery.

"He spent the rest of his life conquering kingdoms, plundering villages, killing innocent people and squandering the Empire's wealth until my brother and I stopped him. But then we were left with the burden of the Empire he had built up over the years"

Leia paused to wipe her eyes again

"My brother wanted no part of it" she sighed "He wanted to devote his life to God and his teachings and in the end, it was up to me to take charge of everything. I hated it, but I had no choice. The people who helped put me on the throne were counting on me and I had to fix my father's mistakes somehow. I had no way out, until I married Han. Then I gave him the throne. I think he hated it almost as much as I did, but he did it for me"

"But you handled all the important work, right?" Rey asked

"I handled all the political affairs while Han became the face of the Empire" Leia smiled, thinking of her late husband "He was a scoundrel. He may have been a common man, but many preferred him to me. Everyone loved him. He was the ruler they all deserved, not the daughter of a killer"

Rey's heart filled with pity for the poor woman. She was paying for the crimes of her father and son.

"I was too much in love with Han to care. I wasn't thinking of the consequences. I just wanted a normal life and a stable family" Leia continued, her tone regretful "I should have stayed on the throne. If I had I could have kept Snoke away from my Ben"

"Who's Ben?" Rey asked

"Well well well, I should have known" a deep voice drawled, interrupting them

Leia and Rey both jumped and turned to face the intruder.

Kylo Ren himself was leaning against the trunk of the tree watching the pair of them with a smirk on his lips. This was the first time Rey had seen him in weeks, but he looked just the same, the same dark eyes and hair and the same cruel smile.

"Plotting away with my mother are you, Princess?"

Rey huffed

"And what are you doing here, Your Majesty? Eavesdropping?" Rey asked in mock politeness "I thought only the servants here did that!"

Kylo Ren's smile disappeared and his mouth twisted into a scowl.

"Actually, I came to see _you_ Princess" He replied, ignoring her slight "I should have known you two would find each other's company. Birds of a feather, I suppose"

Leia got up and stepped in between them as if to shield them both from each other. When she spoke to Kylo Ren it was in a soft and gentle voice.

"Ben, how are you? I never get to see you…"

"I thought you preferred it that way mother" Kylo Ren answered quietly, not meeting her eye "Now if you please, I'd like a word with my dear wife"

There was a hint of bitterness in his voice and Rey realized with a start that when Leia had spoken of 'Ben' she had meant Kylo Ren. But why did she call him that?

She could see that the Dowager Empress was trying her best not to react to her son's nonchalant attitude to her pain and when she next addressed them both, it was in a level voice.

"I'm going to walk back to the palace and let you two talk. Good day to you both"

"Good day, Mother" Rey bowed in farewell, half hoping that she would change her mind and stay, while Kylo Ren muttered absently as he stepped back to let his mother pass

"Mother, good day"

And as Leia walked by him, she touched his shoulder gently. But he did not react to the gesture.

Once they were alone, Kylo turned to Rey

"I think you'll be pleased to hear what I have to say, wife"

"Oh really?" his wife scoffed

"You know, there's no need to take that attitude with me"

There was one thing Kylo Ren couldn't stand about Rey and that was her arrogance. He had told himself that day on Jakku that he would take his revenge on her and he had. He had taken her home, Jakku and made it his own and like every ruler before him who had declared war and conquered kingdoms, he had laid his claim to it. He had won fair and square.

He hadn't intended to marry her, but when her father showed up at his campsite following his defeat and offered him the hand in marriage of his only daughter, he didn't refuse. His anger towards her had also dissipated a little when he saw how her family was prepared to give her away as though she were a prized horse.

And then the look on her face as she watched them ride away without her after the wedding, hit too close to home for him.

He was prepared to make amends in any way he could. If only she were more approachable.

"Is there something you wanted to say?" She asked

"Yes" He answered "I sent an invitation to your parents, to come and stay with us for a few weeks"

Rey's eyes widened

"You…you sent an invitation?" she stammered "Why would you do that?"

"Your parents seemed interested in touring Naboo the last time we met, so I thought this would be the perfect time to invite them" He regarded Rey with a raised eyebrow, "I thought you would be pleased"

"I…" Rey was at a loss for words

"I've already made arrangements and planned everything. I just need you to look over a few things" Kylo said

It took a while for Rey to regain her composure

"Of course" She breathed

"Good" Kylo nodded and turned to leave "Also, I need you to be present at the court gathering this afternoon," he said

Rey watched, frozen on the spot as the Emperor walked away up the path and disappeared from sight. She was still trying to process what she had just heard, excitement but also fear bubbling inside her.

She would see her parents again!

…..

Poe Dameron climbed over the walls of the Naboo palace and dropped stealthily onto the carpet of soft grass beneath. He had no patience for First Order troopers or stopping at gates to gain permission for entry, so this option was more favorable to him.

He had made up his mind to go back to the Princess's side as soon as the King and Queen arrived back in Jakku. He had told the royal couple that he was leaving to go, but the Princess didn't know he was coming. It didn't matter; he was looking forward to surprising her anyway. Poe just couldn't bear the thought of her being in the palace of the enemy, alone and friendless.

He crossed the grassy courtyard and arrived at the threshold of an impressive doorway. But he knew this couldn't be the main entrance to the building, not in the place where everything seemed so extravagant.

He knew that Rey would be in this building but he also knew that this was the one building in the palace complex that he was not allowed in.

The only man allowed in the harem was the Emperor and any other man who dared step foot into it would pay for the crime with his life. But Poe didn't care. If he got caught, well…he would talk his way out of it. His first priority right now was getting to the Princess.

…

Rey relayed the news of her parents impending arrival to Jess the moment she arrived back in her chamber and she reacted just as Rey expected her to.

"It can't be anything good, Rey"

And Rey knew what Jess was thinking and of course, that same thought had crossed her own mind when she heard the news herself.

"We'll see" was all she could manage in response to Jess. Her conversation with Leia Organa was also still fresh in her mind. At first, she had felt pity for the woman but then realized that such a woman didn't need her pity, only her admiration. She had remained resilient despite all the difficulties of her life and even bore her son's indifference to her with grace and patience.

"Don't let them fool you Rey" Jess had warned her when she had told her about Leia. "She is partly to blame for the existence of the First Order"

Rey said nothing to this. In a few minutes, she and Jess would be leaving to attend the court gathering and she had to see to her family's living arrangements. She tried to concentrate on that.

Jess watched her for a while, wondering what was going on inside her best friend's head. Ever since that meeting with Maz, Rey had been strangely subdued and deep in thought most of the time. Jess believed the old woman was crazy and advised Rey not to take her too seriously, but Jess knew that Maz was still on her mind.

"Rey, please just don't think about it too much," Jess said, placing a warm hand on Rey's shoulder.

Rey was about to say something when a tapping noise caught her attention. She and Jess both stilled and listened. It was coming from her balcony.

They both turned to look.

Poe Dameron was waving at them from behind the balcony railings. The two young women watched on in horror as he climbed over and beamed at them.

Jess swore under her breath while Rey remained speechless as he wandered inside with his usual swagger, glancing around and appraising Rey's room.

"Not bad Princess" He nodded in approval, stopping in front of them.

He winked a Jess "So, did you miss me?"

Jess found her voice before Rey did "You absolute idiot!" She hissed at him "Do you want to get us all killed?!"

Poe was taken aback for a moment

"Your Highness, is this the best welcome you can give me?" He turned to Rey "I came all the way to see you…"

"Poe, you can't come in here!" Rey cried "If someone sees you, you're finished!"

"I know" Poe answered in a more serious voice, holding his hands up "but I had to see you. I'm just doing my duty. Anyway, I can sneak out before anyone sees"

"Well, you should leave right now!" Jess grabbed hold of Poe's arm and tried to lead him back out into the balcony.

"Poe, my parents are coming here, did you know? Rey dashed after them

"Yes, I heard, I'm leaving to join them today"

"How are they?"

"They're fine Princess"

As Poe disappeared down along the wall of the harem, Jess breathed a sigh of relief.

"He'll be alright," She said to herself

"I hope so" Rey sighed

…..

The Imperial court gathered about once a week to discuss the Empire's business.

The Emperor sat on his throne on a raised platform at the head of the large assembly hall, flanked by his guard and servants while the nobility, politicians, and Generals of his army were seated in rows below him. Snoke stood by the Emperor's side, as usual, his hawk eyes surveying the scene below him, watching for any sign of treachery.

Today, the rest of the imperial family was allowed into the hall. The section where the Emperor's mother and wives were seated was separated from the rest of the gathering by a sheer silkscreen. Phasma and the Dowager Empress were seated at the head of this little group, with Rey and the rest of the wives behind them. Jess was allowed to sit beside Rey at her request and Rey was glad of it.

As they both took their seats, Phasma turned and gave her a little smirk.

"Hello, Princess" She sneered

Rey smiled, trying to look composed. Phasma didn't scare her, but the way she was looking at her now made her uncomfortable, it was as if she was in on something. Beside her, Leia Organa had not noticed the two women's exchange. She seemed to be lost in thought as she gazed around the room. Phasma eyed her and then turned to face the front again without another word. Rey breathed a silent sigh of relief.

Kylo Ren sat on the throne and waited for his announcer, Mitaka, to bring everyone to order.

So proceedings began and within the first hour as Rey listened raptly to every single word uttered by the politicians and generals, she began to understand the difficulties and responsibilities of running a massive Empire. She had often watched meetings and gatherings presided over by her father, where he and other leaders of the kingdom had discussed affairs. But Jakku was so tiny in comparison, that compared to the Emperor of the First Order, Rey felt as if her father did nothing. Moreover, Kylo Ren seemed to take a keen interest in everything that went on, unlike her father who usually delegated tasks and business to his noblemen. There were matters of education, taxes, trade and even providing drinking water to certain provinces, under discussion. One of the provinces was suffering from a recent flooding and Leia Organa was given the responsibility of organizing an event in the harem to collect donations for the victims.

It was Snoke who glided down to where Leia sat behind the curtain and gave her the piece of parchment with the official order. Leia took it without even glancing at him.

At the end of the gathering, with the important matters out of the way, Kylo Ren held up his hands for silence before speaking.

"Within the next few weeks, we will be receiving some important guests at our palace"

Rey's heart hammered in her chest

"The King and Queen of Jakku will be esteemed guests here and they are to receive the best possible treatment our palace has to offer"

The entire court turned to look at each other and broke into muttering. Beside the Emperor, Snoke looked on, a muscle twitching in his jaw. His eyes found the reddening face of General Hux who was sitting near the front and the two exchanged disapproving looks.

"Princess Rey will be in charge of organizing and overseeing matters regarding hospitality" Kylo Ren continued, ignoring the buzz around him and turning his head to the curtain of sheer silk, behind which Rey sat "Do as she says"

Nobody noticed as a trooper ran into the hall in between the rows of the distracted noblemen to kneel before the throne. Kylo Ren bent forward as the trooper leaned in to speak. No one could hear what the trooper said, but when Kylo Ren raised his head again, his face was livid.

"Bring him in" He growled at the trooper, who slowly backed away and sprinted out of the hall.

When he returned next, with a retinue of other guards with their weapons pointed at a man standing between them, the hall fell silent.

Beside Rey, Jess let out a whimper.

"Poe!" Rey breathed.

Poe was shoved forward so hard; he fell on his knees at the Emperor's feet.

The silence in the hall dragged on for what felt like several minutes as the Emperor stared down at Poe, who looked back, apparently unafraid.

"So, who talks first?" Poe asked loudly, breaking the stillness "You talk first? I talk first?"

Rey had to admire his audacity. He never took his eyes off Kylo Ren the entire time.

"What were you doing inside my harem?" Kylo Ren asked in a booming voice

Now the entire hall let out a collective gasp.

"I…lost my way" Poe explained, his voice shaking a little

"You lost your way" Kylo Ren repeated "You're not from around here. What were you doing in my palace?"

Poe paused to consider his words

"I come from Jakku. I'm not aware of your laws"

Poe tried to look as innocent as possible as he said this, gazing around at the shocked faces around him.

"Do you realize that you can be put to death for your actions?"

"NO!"

The entire court and Emperor included, turned to the corner of the hall where the Emperor's family sat.

"Rey, what are you doing?!" Leia hissed, alarm in her eyes as Rey stepped between her and Phasma to part the curtain covering them. All eyes were on her as she sidestepped the imperial guard and stood next to Poe, facing Kylo Ren

"Your Majesty!" She said "This man is the Captain of my father's guard and he meant no harm or disrespect in coming here!"

"So what business does he have in the palace of Naboo?"

"He's here to see me"

"Then why did he feel the need to sneak around instead of approaching you in the proper way?"

This time Poe spoke "The king asked me to check on the Princess"

This was the truth, but the Emperor didn't look like he was going to believe them.

"Your Majesty…" Rey pleaded, fixing her eyes on his "I beg you to pardon this man"

For a moment, Kylo Ren was diverted. She looked so beautiful standing there in her finery and without her usual expression of sourness, her lovely brown eyes were round, her mouth parted, pleading with him; Kylo Ren could not help but notice.

And so did Snoke

"That is impossible"

Snoke stepped forward calmly, but the expression of his eyes gave away the fury beneath. He spoke directly to Rey, his voice dripping with contempt.

"I'm sorry Your Highness, but His Majesty is not in the habit of handing out pardons at the insistence or whims of his wives…"

"Silence" Kylo Ren held up his hands and Snoke stepped back, still furious.

"Princess" He addressed Rey "If I were to give your Captain a full pardon, what would I receive in return?"

Rey blinked up at him

"In…return?…"

She glanced down at Poe, who was looking up at her from his position on the floor. Then it hit her. She knew what to do.

"In return for a full pardon, I offer you the services of my Captain"

Kylo Ren raised his eyebrows and Poe looked like he would have preferred the death sentence.

"Captain Poe Dameron will no longer serve my father. From today, he will serve the Emperor of the First Order…with his approval"

Kylo Ren considered her with narrowed eyes

"Very well. Rise, Captain"

Poe got slowly to his feet

"From now on, you no longer serve the King of Jakku. You serve me"

Poe sighed, _for Rey,_ he thought to himself. He would do this for her.

"I thank you for your mercy," he said, bowing.

As the guards escorted Poe outside, Rey and Kylo continued to stare at each other.

"He's an excellent soldier," Rey said "One of my father's best"

"I'll take your word for it, Princess" He nodded and as Rey bowed to him and retreated back behind the curtain, his eyes never left her.

An indignant Phasma did not fail to notice this.

….

"This isn't the first time he's let his personal interests get in the way," General Hux remarked as he and Snoke sat in his chambers, sipping wine "it'll pass soon enough"

Snoke was still seething from the events of the afternoon. The Emperor had completely ignored him and humiliated him in front of the whole court.

And all for that woman.

"Am I interrupting anything?"

"My lady" General Hux rose from his seat as Phasma sauntered into the room

Snoke didn't bother getting up. Phasma and Snoke had never really seen eye to eye, but now wasn't the time to turn on each other, not when they had a common enemy.

"I can guess why you're here," Snoke said, looking away, "I thought you had him completely in your grasp but it seems that I was wrong"

"I know you don't like me, General" Phasma seated herself at the table with the two men "And I haven't lost my influence on him completely if you must know"

"What do you want?"

"I want your support to take her out"

Snoke snorted

"My lady, I'll find a way to deal with her. You need not concern yourself with these matters; your job is to keep the Emperor happy in bed"

Phasma scowled "I'm already one step ahead of you General. Don't underestimate me"

"What do you mean?"

"I found something. Some incriminating evidence against our little Princess"

Snoke sat up with a start. "I'm listening"

"Oh, I'm not telling you what it is" Phasma said slyly "at least, not yet"

Snoke clicked his tongue impatiently

"For heaven's sake, if you've got something on her then we can go to the Emperor right now!"

Phasma laughed "Oh no. At first, I wanted to go the Emperor straight away too, but now I have a better plan. I'm going to wait until we've got her whole family under our roof together. I want to put on a good show for the whole court"

"This is not a game!" Snoke cried "If we wait any longer, your evidence might become useless!"

Phasma ignored him "Either way, it doesn't look good for her"

Snoke knew how much of a jealous, vindictive woman Phasma was, but this wasn't just some regular squabble between two wives at the harem, this was now his problem too. His own interests were at stake.

"Well, are you in?" Phasma asked, whisking Hux's glass of wine from under him and taking a sip.

Hux who had been watching the two of them silently looked at Snoke who sighed

"Very well, we'll help you"


End file.
